Oliver's papers deal almost entirely with his work for the Royal Commission on Biculturalism and Bilingualism. Correspondence, minutes, reports and press releases document the Commission's meetings, organization, personnel, and finances. There are also briefs, reports of study groups, drafts of the final report, and files on individuals. Records of his Vice-principalship at McGill can be found in Record Group 3.

Fonds mainly consists of research materials and preliminary drafts for Miller's history of the McGill Faculty Club. These include transcripts from the Club's Council minutes, the McGill University scrapbooks and the minutes of the University Club, as well as originals and copies of contributions by John Bland (on the architecture of the building), T.H. Matthews (on the admission of women) and F.R. Scott (on the social atmosphere). As well as Miller's typescript of the history, there are drafts of his outgoing letters to contributors and colleagues, some incoming letters and copies of Club Council meetings dealing with the history. There is also correspondence arising from Miller's chairmanship of local arrangements for the annual meeting of the Canadian Historical Association in 1972.

The major record of the McGill Chapter's early years is a register containing members' signatures, 1911-1969, and minutes from 1912 to 1932; a second minute book covers the period 1960-1969. Approximately two-thirds of the papers are secretary's files from 1961 to 1978 containing membership lists, correspondence concerning prospective members, circular letters announcing meetings, and correspondence with the headquarters of AOA. There are also receipts for initiation fees from 1954 to 1969.

The fonds consists of the correspondence of John Wightman, related to the McGill Graduate's Society in the Maritime provinces.

The Aileen Ross fonds consists mainly of correspondence (1935-1990), research files, a brief autobiography (1940-1980), biographical material (1920-1990), and specific talks (1942-1973). Included are personal diaries (1918-1962), appointment books (1946-1992), and Matthew Ibbotson's correspondence to Ross (1921-1927). Books, original and printed articles, newspaper clippings, and reviews of books and articles are also part of the collection. Non textual records consist of several photographs.

Apart from a printed copy of his LL.D. thesis on the idea of atonement amongst the ancient Hebrews, and a copy of examination questions in mathematics set by him, Duff's papers are almost entirely concerned with his application for the Bradford position in 1877. These comprise letters of recommendation from J. W. Dawson, Alexander Johnson (Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Arts), and two professors at Andover Theological Seminary, as well as copies of a letter from A.M. Fairbairn of Aberdeen, encouraging Duff to apply for the post. There is also a copy of Duff's letter to the secretary of the Congregational College in which he declines an offer of teaching work.

Very few of the McLeod papers actually concern the Observatory. However, his work for the railways and in Newfoundland is documented, as are his views on the education and employment of engineers. The basic record for the early part of his career is a diary kept from 1870 to 1875, regarding student days and early work on the Observatory. An essay, "Winter under canvas" (1868) describes an early surveying job, and a letter from his father (1872) inquires about his academic progress. His work for the railways is documented by three letters of recommendation, and two letters (one from Stanford Fleming) on the work of his colleagues in the West. The Newfoundland survey (1875) is described in McLeod's diary, a manuscript essay "Across Newfoundland" (1876), his printed reports and three letters. His work at McGill is represented by six letters (largely official acknowledgements of appointments), and McLeod's manuscript notes on McGill history. McLeod's concern with the engineering profession is reflected in two addresses on education and professional development, and copies of about a dozen letters to Sir Wilfrid Laurier (1906-1908), C.A. McGrath and E.F. Wurtele (1912), largely on the employment of engineers in the civil service.

The greater portion of Purves' papers consists of research materials from his undergraduate and post-graduate period. These include lecture notes in natural philosophy and chemistry (1921-1923), laboratory notes on methylated sugars (1923-1924), extraction of glucose by yeast (1929-1931) and carbohydrate analysis (1929-1930) and reports of experiments at the U.S. National Institute of Health. Teaching files contain lecture notes for his courses in organic chemistry (1957-1965) and correspondence with John R. Platt regarding a new textbook of elementary organic chemistry.

MacIntosh's involvement with the Medical Research Council of Canada is documented by correspondence, agendas and minutes (1960-1962) concerning grant applications and administrative affairs, particularly the Advisory Committee on Policy.