All interviewees were asked for some basic biographical background. Special attention was given to any kind of educational or career background in libraries. The interviews focused primarily, however, on the narrator's career at Grand Rapids Public Library. Each was asked to discuss such things as the departments they worked in, the projects they worked on, the people they worked with and physical and organizational changes they had observed.

A special effort was also made to document developments over time in the philosophy and technology of library science which the interviewees observed during their careers. So each was asked about such things as their views on changes in patronage and patron requests as well as how and when the first computers and other library and/or office technology were used.

This oral history collection currently has three data elements. These are the interview master cassette tape used only for making usage tapes, at least one usage cassette tape and a typed written transcription of the interview. A fourth element, the release form, is not present in this collection, but is on file.