Family and friends of former Western staff member Jane Baldwin will celebrate her life this weekend in the best way possible – through music.
Baldwin began her career at Western Libraries as a cataloguer in the Music Library, then became the Music Reference Librarian. She moved through the ranks to serve as acting head of Library Systems, head of Collections Management and was named to become head of the Music Library. In 1996, her life changed with the onset of a malignant brain tumour. She endured a difficult course of treatment, and after four years at home, became a resident of Mt. Hope Centre for Long Term Care in London, where she lived for the last 15 years. She died June 25 at the age of 63.
“It’s fair to say my career as a Music Librarian is due to Jane’s encouragement,” said Lisa Philpott, Western Music Librarian (Music Reference, Collections and Instructional Librarian), who worked with Baldwin. “As a mentor, she was responsible for influencing a generation of librarians.”
Baldwin was also an accomplished musician at an early age, going on to receive her BA (1973) and MA (1975) in music from the University of Victoria.
Family and friends have arranged for a memorial concert in her honour, scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday (Sept. 20) in von Kuster Hall (Room 111) in the newly renovated Music Building.
The program, while short, will include one of her favourite Strauss songs and an arrangement of the aria from Bach’s Goldberg Variations for flute and string trio. The performers include several of Baldwin’s colleagues, plus several Music alumni who were students during her time at Western.
If you would like to attend the memorial concert, RSVP to jbaldwinfamily@gmail.com.