This collection originally contained books and periodicals with a focus on James Joyce owned by Lorin W. Roberts, U of I Faculty, Biological Sciences, and books and periodicals with a focus on poetry owned by Florence Greathouse Roberts, U of I faculty, English. Some of the books and periodicals were added to the main library stacks and the Day-NW book collection in Special Collections and Archives. Items that weren't added were given back to the donor.

The papers were then arranged to make a manuscript group (MG). Papers include correspondence, newspaper clippings, lecture programs, information on a visit to Dublin, photographs, and other miscellaneous materials.