Series I is comprised of her manuscripts and related material. This includes the original drafts from Tell Me a Riddle, Yonnondio: From the Thirties, Silences, Requa, and other miscellaneous publications in both magazines and newspapers. Also included are galleys, typescripts, corrections to texts, adaptations, translations, reviews and various stage production scripts. [The listing often makes reference to the word "makings" which was Tillie Olsen's designation for her own notes and writings for the particular text.]

Series II consists of material from 1930-1950, and this series is divided into two distinct parts. Series IIa, the first part, contains Tillie Olsen's personal writings from this time period, which include partial stories, verse, journal entries, and newspaper articles. Reference is made in this series to Olsen's involvement with the Socialist Party and the Longshoreman's Strike during the mid 1930's. This series ends with all her bound journals and notebooks, the majority of which she wrote in high school. Series IIb, also from the time period 1930-1950, contains newsclippings, pamphlets, and bulletins which pertain to the Longshoreman's Strike and various other Strike issues. There is reference to Tillie Olsen's prison sentence in the mid-1930's and an FBI file kept on Tillie Olsen until 1944. Finally, there is a collection of manuscripts which includes poems and stories written by various individuals other than Tillie Olsen during the 1930's, some of which were written by Jeannette Gray.

Series III, Correspondence, is divided into five distinct sections, with each section determined by the time period or content of the particular correspondence. All the correspondence is incoming except when noted in the listing as "outgoing."

Series IIIa is personal correspondence written during the time period 1930-1950. This series is of particular interest because of the correspondence with such individuals as Robert Gehn, Arel Creel, Jeannette Gray, Marion "Dippy" Duve, and Malcolm Cowley.

Series IIIb is personal correspondence from 1950-1990 arranged alphabetically by name. Included in this series are individuals such as Margaret Atwood, Kay Boyle, Rachel Blau DuPlessis, Dick Elman, Hanna Green, Ursula LeGuin, Lewis Mumford, Katherine Anne Porter, Adrienne Rich, May Sarton, Scott Turow, and Alice Walker.

Series IIIc is also personal correspondence but arranged chronologically from 1960-1989. Series IIId consists of reader's responses to Tillie Olsen's writings along with invitations to talks, seminars, and workshops. Finally, Series IIIe is correspondence to and from publishers and general requests, i.e. publishing rights, permission to dramatize works, letters of recommendation, biographical information, etc.