Suki T. Sommer, 1935-2008

Practically everyone in the music library world is aware of the passing of Suki Sommer, longtime music librarian at New York Public Library. Her death was not unforeseen, but it has brought forth an outpouring of emotion on the MLA list that is worthy of her larger-than-life personality. Both of us, Bonna far more than me, knew Suki and were affected in various ways by her powerful intellect, dedication to our profession, her immense sense of fun, and her professional savvy, among all the other traits that made her beloved within and without music librarianship.

Geraldine Ostrove is gathering reminiscences of Suki for the MLA archives housed at the University of Maryland.

A further note from Bonna:

I will add to Jim’s comments that one reason I think Suki was so important to so many music librarians was her ability to give each music librarian and potential music librarian her undivided and enthusiastic attention. She did not care about “pedigree,” but required only a passion for music librarianship. And, on a local note, Suki was a member of several task forces and committees whose work culminated in establishing the US-RILM Office in 1984. That office (with the generosity of both Lenore Coral and Cornell) continues to document the scholarly literature of music published in the United States and makes significant contributions to the RILM enterprise.