September 27, 2002
On September 27, 2002, Don met with Dick Griscom, Music Librarian from the University of Illinois and a former Northwestern Music Library staff member, prior to his retirement. He discusses his life and career including his youth, early years at Northwestern, developing the Music Library as a collection of distinction, memories of other library staff, and work with the Music Library Association and International Association of Music Libraries.
“Students can do it": A Conversation with Music Librarian Emeritus Don Roberts
Sir Michael Tippet (foreground) at NU
for the American premiere of his opera,
“The Knot Garden.”
Music School, February, 1974
In Spring 2021, The Emeriti News held a conversation between Don Roberts and emeritus Dean of the School of Music Bernie Dobrowski over Zoom. A transcript of the conversation is deposited in the Charles Deering McCormick Library of Special Collections and University Archives, and an excerpt was published in The Emeriti News newsletter.
“Well, in 1971, I had just acquired the manuscript of Sir
Michael Tippett’s opera, The Knot Garden. I suggested to Sir Michael that maybe Northwestern students could do the American premiere? “Oh,” he said, “I don’t think students could do that!” And I said, “Well, it’s a psychological opera, and they might know more about some of the issues than professional opera singers.” Michael was quickly won over.”
Remembering Don Roberts, Music Library curator
by Drew Scott
In a blog post, Gregory MacAyeal, D.J. Hoek and Vince McCoy reflect on Don’s legacy for the Northwestern Music collections and his impact on the library staff who worked with him.
Don Roberts in the Music Listening Center, 1976