The Jean S. Lindsay Papers contain three series: Career, Community, and Family Papers. The Career series includes typescripts, manuscripts, correspondence, research, notes, and photographs relating, with only a few exceptions, to Lindsay's work at the Watson Archives (1980-1982). The Community series consists chiefly of correspondence and notes for the Now Nameless Bibliophiles group and a small amount of material relating to the Friends of the University of Rochester Libraries (1980s). The Family Papers series contains photographs, diaries, memorabilia, newspaper clippings, and research relating primarily to Jean S. Lindsay's paternal ancestors (the Lindsay, Hatch, and Curtice families) and her maternal ancestors (the Courter and Sampson families).

The National Organization for Women, Rochester Chapter Records represents local examples of action women organized during the 1970s- 2000s. This collection is divided into four series: Chapter Records, Issue Campaigns, Printed Materials and Women Against a Violent Environment. The Chapter Records include by-laws, board of director meeting minutes, a member survey and issues from the chapter newsletter. Issue Campaigns includes materials related to supporting women's reproductive health rights, welfare, equal rights and pay equity. The third series includes pamphlets and newspaper clippings documenting various issue campaigns associated with the local chapter. The Women Against a Violent Environment series includes meeting minutes and newspaper clippings from this active sub-group of NOW.

Finks' papers collected in Rare Books/Special Collections begin with writings by David Finks and then move to documentation of Finks' life and work, including material and some correspondence relating to Catholic Council of Urban Ministries, Campaign for Human Development, and the Downtown (Rochester) Community Forum. Next are Finks' personal records which are combined elements of both a journal and a scrapbook. Contained in binders, they are a combination of journal entries, articles, letters, cards, flyers, programs, and anything else that was meaningful to him. There are a few gaps, but the journals cover from 1985-2007. Finally, the last few boxes are articles and letters regarding people and issues, largely religious, of interest to Finks as well as personal correspondence and photographs.

The Rocky Simmons photographs (1920s-2008) are comprised of photographs originally assembled by Simmons in an album, plus additional materials donated by his children and family. The photos feature Simmons, his family and friends, and various locations central to his life. It also contains photographs he took as a professional photographer, featuring local events, weddings, musicians, sports teams, beauty contests, award ceremonies, and new businesses. The photographs are a unique window on the lives of Rochester's African American community at mid-20th century.

This collection contains materials related to the University Rowing program (formerly the Crew team). It consists of five series: Correspondence and Meeting Minutes, Newspapers and Clippings, Stickers, Regatta Booklets, and Photographs. Photographs are divided into subseries that focus on Social Events, Practices and Workouts, and Regattas.

The Ruth H. Scott Papers are comprised of three series: Career Materials, Civic Activism, and Personal Papers. The majority of the items in Career Materials document Scott's terms serving on the Rochester City Council, from 1977-1989. A small group of materials in this series includes items from her unsuccessful 1993 campaign for Rochester City Mayor. There are additional materials related to her consulting work for banks, and non-profit companies. Most of the consulting material dates from 1989, when she began Scott Associates Consulting, Inc. The second series, Civic Activism, documents Scott's participation and interest in a variety of community organizations, locally and nationally. This series includes three subseries: Leadership America, Housing and Urban Development, and Education. The materials on education also include consulting work and positions held within the Rochester City School systems, beginning in the 1950s. The final series, Personal Materials, includes family photographs, documents related to Scott's primary, secondary and college education. There are also awards, invitations, and birthday cards from the 1940s-2000s.

The collection consists of secretary's minutes from the Club's founding in 1890. Also included are member biographical information forms, which the organization sent to its membership as part of its centennial celebration, and schedules and announcements of meetings which document the longevity of the Club. Most valuable in this collection are the surviving reading copies of papers presented. The research papers chronicle the opinions of middle and upper-class women related to a variety of topics including travel, disarmament, gender limitations, welfare reform and the domestic arts. Most notable were those read by Alice Wood Wynd, Harriet Steele Rhees, and Rose Alling. Papers presented by guest lecturers are also included in this collection. Correspondence, as well as materials related to the Club's Centennial Celebration, and photographs document the development of the organization.