This collection includes the original manuscript for his History of Canada as well as a large quantity of notes collected for the history.

Typed copies of the official and private correspondence, 1814-1821, held in the McCord Museum in the William MacKay Papers. They consist mainly consist of military records such as commissions, 1813-1814, correspondence between members of the British Indian Department, including Lt. Col. Robert McDouall and his description of the siege of Prairie du Chien, with reference to the Omaeqnomenew (Menominee), Hocak (Winnebago), and Meskwaki (Fox) warriors who fought alongside British forces, as well as to the Potawatomi leader Main Poc (referred to as Marpock), 1814-1815 and copies of correspondence of Capt. Thomas Anderson with Lt Col. Robert McDouall on military actions, supplies and Indian relations, 1814-1815. There is also a newspaper clipping about Alexander MacKay and the partnership agreement admitting William MacKay and David Mackenzie into the North West Company in 1796.

McLennan's manuscripts of his literary works include drafts of Old Canadian Songs, 1885, Eighteen Poems, 1885-1898, The Indiscretion of Grosse Boule, ca 1890, Une soeur, ca 1890, As Told to His Grace, 1891, Mon compère Melchior and an early version of A King for a Week, 1892, John McDonnell of Scotus, 1896; probably an early version of Spanish John, A Question of Courage, 1896?, The Span o' Life, 1897, translations of 8 poems from Henri Murger's La Vie de Bohème, 1885, the outline of a projected novel, The Losing Side, and his Notes pour servir à l'histoire de la ville de Montréal, 1880-1888.

Collection contains a "Charterparty of Affreightment" signed on 14 September 1778 between Hugh Wylee, captain of the ship Dalling, and William Shaw and Simon Fraser, merchants of Quebec City. The contract contains the terms under which Shaw and Fraser hired Wylee and his ship and crew for a commercial journey from Quebec City to the Bay of Chaleure in Gaspey (now Gaspé), and from there to Kingston, Jamaica. In exchange for carrying and unloading Shaw and Fraser's cargo, Wylee received 800 pounds and a portion of the profits from the sale of the goods.

Fonds consists of manuscript of "Kedem, or the Garden of Eden, by Symkabeta", 1869. The manuscript includes an article on Mountain worship by W. Simpson and critical letters from Thomas Scott, 1869.

Collection consists of two commercial documents bound together that record the exchange of goods between John Taylor of Queensferry, Scotland, and William Taylor of Montreal. The first document is a one-page list of unsold goods, entitled "List of goods on Mr Wm Taylors [sic] hands remaining unsold as per account sales, sent 11th October 1787 - tho' shipt per the Elizabeth, A. Syme April 1786." It lists a variety of goods, including fabrics, horse tack, carpet, and beer, along with their values. The second document is an inventory of a shipment, entitled "Invoice of a cargo of goods sent per the Elizabeth, Captn A. Syme, to be sold on my account by Mr William Taylor, Merchant Montreal, Queensferry, March 16, 1787." The invoice lists goods - such as fabrics, accessories, tools, household goods, beer and wine, and sugar - as well as insurance, carriage, and customhouse fees.

Fonds consists of notebook kept by Tetley chiefly during the Second World War, while on active duty with the Canadian Royal Navy. The first entry is dated August 14, 1945, and begins with Tetley reporting for duty. The diary records daily activities onboard. From February 21, 1946, entries describe daily life in Montreal and at McGill, with detailed impressions of friends and acquaintances, often with full names and addresses. The final full daily entry is dated February 28, 1946. Following that, entries record major events, such as moving to Quebec in summer of 1949 or convocation, with acquaintances made and Tetley's descriptions and impressions of them, often with names and contact information. Other events noted include Provincial Congress at Quebec, September 1950; "Soirée à la Marine," February 10, 1950; summer in the navy in England, 1951; Boy Scout Campaign, February 1952. Final entries are undated, but the journal appears to end in 1952. The fonds also includes some items previously laid in to the diary, including one black and white photograph of a coastline (laid in before entry dated Sept. 18, 1945), 2 loose leaves with lists of names and some addresses and a postcard, and 2 doctor's notes certifying Tetley's vaccination laid in between pages 92 and 93. Other items laid or tipped in include: invitation to McGill Founders Day Convocation 1950, with notes, and pages from address books.

The William Weintraub fonds documents Weintraub's career in documentary film and literature covering the period between approximately 1950 to 2000. The fonds falls into four series: (1) literary correspondence, (2) literary activities, (3) documentary filmmaking, and (4) biographical materials, personal correspondence, and career ephemera, documenting Weintraub's early life as well as theatre programs, pamphlets, and other collected material. Weintraub's career as a documentary film maker both as a freelance and with the NFB (1965-1986) with some 150 films to his credit is well documented including his work in Africa. The material includes scripts, research notes and correspondence. In some cases copies of the films are included. Material related to the NFB also includes newsletters, office files, and correspondence. The material documenting Weintraub's literary career includes drafts, proofs, correspondence and reviews for his two novels Why Rock the Boat? (1961) and The Underdogs (1979). In addition, the former was made into a film and extensive files relate to this. The latter novel was adapted for the stage and drafts, publicity and material relating to the controversy it aroused are included. Weintraub's book on Montreal in 1940s and 1950s City Unique (1996) is documented with extensive research files, drafts, reviews and correspondence. The literary correspondence with Mavis Gallant (127 letters), Brian Moore (603 letters) and Mordecai Richler (210 letters) constitutes a major source for the study of three prominent Canadian writers in the last half of the twentieth century. In addition, there are copies of 280 letters from Weintraub to Moore and 123 copies of letters from Weintraub to Richler. While the Gallant correspondence dates primarily from the 1980s with only 8 letters from 1950-1951, the Moore and Richler correspondence is continuous from the 1950s. This latter correspondence reveals the close involvement of Weintraub in the development of the work of both Moore and Richler.

The fonds consists of records documenting William P. Wolfe's business activity as an antiquarian bookseller in Montreal with a focus on Canadiana, from primarily 1952 to 1985. There are also some scattered earlier materials. The fonds contains chiefly textual records, with one microfiche, one artifact, and a small amount of graphic materials, as well as printed matter. The records are mainly correspondence (letters received as well as copies of letters sent to contacts across Canada, the United States and Europe); there are also accompanying catalogues, auction records, receipts, inventory lists and newspaper clippings. Files are arranged alphabetically in two blocks: A-N and A-Z. Other records document the administration of Wolfe's company, including tax forms, bills, auction house receipts, auction house catalogues, receipts for office equipment, promotional materials from other businesses, newsletters and newspaper clippings. The fonds consists of the following series: Business Correspondence (1958-1984) and Financial Administration (1958-1985).