The Donald Finkel Papers include his extensive research materials, journals, notes, and heavily revised manuscripts. A large collection of editorial matter toward all of his books and a small, yet revealing professional correspondence with editors and literary colleagues completes the Finkel Papers.

The Isabella Gardner Papers contain manuscript and editorial material toward most of her books drafts of individual poems as well as letters to and from various editors, friends, and family.

The William H. Gass Papers consist largely of his own manuscript material: manuscripts and proof material toward his books, drafts of various stories, essays, and reviews, interviews, and a miscellaneous assortment of notes and other materials. Also present is a substantial amount of professional correspondence, primarily with universities, magazines, and publishers, as well as with his colleagues in academia and in the literary community.

The Katherine Arnstein Heinemann Papers consist mainly of autograph and typescript drafts of her poems, as well as manuscript and editorial material relating to her collections Brandings (1988) and Some Inhuman Familiars (1983). A small group of correspondence is also present.

The Hurst Papers consist of a small quantity of correspondence (most of it between Hurst and her school friend Lois Toensfeldt), the manuscript for her novel Quiet Street, some diary material, and a group of clippings and memorabilia. Special Collections also holds Hurst's personal collection of her published work which includes a complete set of first and variant editions, translations, and other copies of her books.

The William Inge Collection consists of the first edition and production archive for Picnic: A Summer Romance and playbills for various productions of Inge's plays.