Head of Special Collections & Archives Amber D’Ambrosio is leaving CMU at the end of the fall semester. Her departure leaves CMU without a head of Special Collections & Archives to take her place. The department will remain closed until the library hires a replacement.
“As I understand it, the library director isn’t sure if CMU will be able to hire the position in the near future because they’re evaluating hiring decisions closely due to budget concerns,” D’Ambrosio said. “My guess is that at the earliest Special Collections would reopen for Fall 2026 if all went smoothly.”
After compiling historical documents for CMU’s Century Celebrations this year, D’Ambrosio accepted a new position at Colorado State University (CSU). At CSU, she will be working at their equivalent department.
CMU’s Special Collections & Archives is located in Tomlinson Library and collects and archives noteworthy historical moments from CMU’s history through a myriad of documents.
“We try to hold onto relevant local history,” D’Ambrosio said. “Things get donated, and we have to decide which pieces are most appropriate for us to hang on to. If it makes sense for the local audience, typically we’ll keep it. If it’s more relevant on a state-level, it typically goes to Denver, where they have more archives to handle that.”
All items in the archive remain unaltered from their original context and aim to most accurately represent the historical record of Grand Junction and Colorado. D’Ambrosio believes that artifacts without preservation erode from society’s collective memory.
“Archives are the memory you didn’t know you needed,” D’Ambrosio said.
During an interview with The Criterion, D’Ambrosio walked past an array of filing cabinets and turned a crank on the front of the column. On the third floor of Tomlinson Library, she showed off rotating bookshelves. She believes they reveal decades of notable historical documents and invaluable history.
D’Ambrosio added that some books in Tomlinson Library require some form of extra protection because of concerns and fears of vandalism.
“Here are books that we keep away from the rest of the books in the library, for one reason or another,” D’Ambrosio said.
Across a range of subject matters, D’Ambrosio maintains that the Special Collections & Archives at CMU is proportional to the impact Grand Junction has on the history of Colorado, and to a greater extent, the U.S.
She hopes Tomlinson Library will fill her soon-to-be vacant position in the future to continue important documentation work of CMU and Grand Junction.
“I’m hopeful my spot will be filled,” D’Ambrosio said.
Despite Special Collections & Archives set to close in spring 2026, there are no intentions by Tomlinson Library to remove the department in the future. D’Ambrosio hopes the department can return to full operation in fall 2026, at the earliest.
“Special Collections is important to the university. The archive is important, because it’s important to know where you come from,” Tomlinson Library Director Sylvia Rael said. “We’re sad to see Amber go, she will be missed.”
