Collections

The AMRC houses the region's largest repository of archival music materials, with particular collection strengths in the music of Colorado and the American West, American popular song, swing-era, TV & radio, and the silent film era. The core collection was assembled by Sister Mary Dominic Ray at Dominican College in California in 1967, and was purchased by the University of Colorado in 1989. The AMRC collections are stored in the University of Colorado Boulder Libraries’ Archives in Norlin Library and are available for research in Norlin’s Special Collections & Archives Reading Room.

If you are interested in donating materials to the AMRC, please email Jessie De La Cruz, Music and Recorded Sound Archivist, Assistant Director of the AMRC, and Senior Instructor. Her e-mail is jessie.delacruz@colorado.edu. Please note that material donations cannot come directly to the Center.

If you are interested in accessing the materials, need copies, or would like to visit the archives, please e-mail the Rare and Distinctive Collections team at rad@colorado.edu. The AMRC collections are stored in the University of Colorado Boulder Libraries’ Archives in Norlin Library. The collections are available for researchers in the Special Collections & Archives Reading Room on the third floor of Norlin (room M350B), open to the public 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday. No appointment is necessary, but we encourage researchers to contact sca@colorado.edu in advance of your visit to let Archives reference staff know what collections you’d like to see. For more information about the Special Collections & Archives Reading Room (including Reading Room policies and procedures), visit here.

Reopening Update

Starting August 1 The Special Collections & Archives Reading Room in Norlin Library (room E1B43) will be open by appointment only from 11- 4, Monday through Friday. Appointments can be made by emailing rad@colorado.edu. It is anticipated that starting October 3rd the Reading Room will also be open for walk-ins, but we will encourage appointments. We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your patience as we navigate this unprecedented situation and make safe plans to reopen facilities.