The collection consists of of AIDS activism materials, with an emphasis on its manifestation in Canada's visual art world, through the collections of John A. Schweitzer and others. Several of the documents have been signed by either John A. Schweitzer or Robert Mapplethorpe. The materials in the collection include posters, press releases, conference programs, exhibition catalogues, exhibition invitations, exhibition ephemera, programs, brochures, tear-sheets, auction catalogues, and reviews. It also contains a second accrual of ephemeral materials collected by John Schweizer on human sexuality and AIDS activism, including many clippings.