This devised collection contains a hodge podge of manuscript items, which came to the department separately, but together begin to tell an interesting though incomplete story of Grand Rapids, and its citizens and organizations, over the years.

One of the greatest strengths of the collection is the biographical information, either direct, such as in the Citizens Biographies, or indirect, such as information from a random diary or remembrance.

Some other subseries which seem to be building consistently are the memoriams, histories and ethnic materials.