The collection consists of correspondence, manuscripts, subject files, photographs and printed materials, primarily booklets and clippings. The correspondents include Ivan and Vera Bunin, Mark Slonim and Petr Struve. Also included are photocopies of letters by Ivan A. Goncharov. By far the largest part of the collection is in the form of memoirs written by Valeriĭ P. Semenov-Ti︠a︡nʹ-Shanskiĭ, in which he dwells in detail on his ancestors, on the social and political life in Russian during the second half of the 19th century and on his public life in the emigration. The subject files deal primarily with Russian emigre organizations in Finland.