The Admiral Richard E. Byrd Papers are dated 1839-2014, with the bulk of the materials dating from 1925-1970. The collection contains correspondence, publications and other printed materials, expeditionary records, newspaper clippings, photographs, scrapbooks, maps and charts, artifacts, audio and video recordings and motion picture films. Audio recordings include photograph records, audiocassettes, and magnetic tapes, and video recordings include U-matic, Betacam, and VHS videocassettes and DVDs. Films include 16 and 35mm film and negative film reels and strips. Most of the material in the collection is contained in Series 1, Byrd Personal Papers, and Series 2, Expeditionary Records.

Collection topics include Byrd's personal and public life, his expeditions in the Arctic (The Donald MacMillan Expedition and Byrd's North Pole flight), Antarctica (Byrd Antarctic Expedition I and II, United States Antarctic Service Expedition, Operation Highjump, and Operation Deep Freeze), and his Trans-Atlantic flight from New York to France. The Byrd Antarctic Expeditions (BAE I and II) are the most documented overall within the collection, while the Donald MacMillan Expedition, the Trans-Atlantic flight, and Operation Highjump contain the least amount of material. Expedition records deal with the logistics of personnel, communications, finance, diet, nutrition, and equipment. The collection also includes materials on the publicity and media reports created by or about Byrd during or after his expeditions. Finally, while the collection primarily focuses on Byrd, it also includes materials from his family, especially his son Richard "Dickie" E. Byrd Jr. Some materials in the collection about Byrd or his family were created prior to Byrd’s birth in 1888, or following his death in 1957.

The Anthony Morency Papers, dated 1933-1972, contains artifacts, correspondence, certificates, periodicals, newsletters and booklets about expeditions Morency participated in, which included United States Antarctic Service Expedition, 1939-1941, Operation Highjump, 1946-1947 and Operation Deep Freeze I and II, 1955-1957. As well, the collection contains correspondence and articles regarding the creation and dedication of a Richard E. Byrd memorial in New Zealand. Morency was invited to the dedication ceremony through his participation in Byrd led expeditions.

The Byrd Antarctic Expedition I Collection contains materials both from and about Byrd Expedition I, some of which date after the expedition. Materials include black and white photographs and glass slides from the expedition, artifacts from Byrd's flagship the United States Ship City of New York, commemorative medals given in recognition of the expedition, promotional material about the expedition and Byrd's tour, and a drawing of the United States Ship City of New York by the creator of Smokey the Bear. Also included are VHS videocassette and DVD copies of black and white film shot by expedition member Lawrence Gould during his time in Antarctica, with a commentary track recorded later in his life. The collection dates from 1928 to 1940 and 1980 to 2003, with the bulk of materials dated 1928 to 1930.

The Carl E. Steeb Papers contain resolutions from the Ohio State University Board of Trustees and the Ohio Union Board of Overseers, a distinguished service award, and a plaque. It also contains newspaper articles and correspondence concerning the retirement of Steeb.

The Deborah Pryce Papers date from circa 1980 to 2008, with the bulk of the collection dating from 1993 to 2008. They document the 16-year public service career of Deborah Pryce (R-Upper Arlington) as a Republican congresswoman in the United States House of Representatives for the 15th District of Ohio from 1993-2008. Materials in the collection include bills, correspondence, articles, clippings, reports, speeches, statements, budget appropriations, audiocassettes, artifacts, and photographs. The collection highlights Pryce's various roles and responsibilities during this career, ranging from her legislation, the House committees she belonged to, her leadership role within the Republican Party, her interaction with the media and the 15th district, and other public service activities. The majority of materials in the collection were compiled by the Washington, D.C. and district offices of Congresswoman Pryce. Campaign materials within the collection were compiled by her campaign committees. In addition, the collection contains records of the House Republican Conference, dating from 1998 to 2006, compiled during Congresswoman Pryce’s tenure as secretary, vice-chair, and then chair of the conference.

The Donald Walk Papers contain materials Walk collected while serving in the United States Navy in Antarctica during the United States' Operation Deep Freeze 61. These materials include 35mm slides, photographs, magnetic audio tapes of recordings Walk sent to his family while on assignment, 8mm film, administrative reports, clippings, medical research, correspondence, and Antarctic clothing and equipment documenting Walk's experience as a psychiatrist and administrator. The collection also contains clippings and other publications that Walk collected after his assignment was completed, and digitized copies of most of the collection materials on DVDs and compact discs. The collection is dated 1945-1969 and circa 2006-2008.

The Edgar F. Cox Papers, dated 1907-1975, with most of the collection dating from 1930-1946, contains scrapbooks, photographs, correspondence, storyboards, diaries, radio scripts, periodicals, medals, artifacts and an autograph book that primarily relate to Cox's role as herdsman and carpenter during Byrd Antarctic Expedition II with some focus on the cattle on the expedition. The collection also contains materials relating to his service during World War I and World War II as well as a coin from 1907 and correspondence and pictures from 1975 regarding the naming of Cox Point in Antarctica.

The Glenn H. Bryant Papers, which dates from circa 1933-1936 and circa 2000-2007, contains artifacts, photographs, correspondence, seismograph plans, and a compact disc relating to his participation in Byrd Antarctic Expedition II. The artifacts found in this collection include snow googles, a workboot, three triangular light cloth box kites and four trail flags.

This material from Edward Weaver includes letters of congratulations when he became Athletic Drector (1970) and for his retirement (1977), plaques, certificates, awards, and other memorabilia.

The John H. Roscoe Papers contain approximately 2,500 aerial photographs taken by Roscoe and Task Force 68 in Antarctica during Operation Highjump from 1946-1947, and Operation Windmill in 1948. The photographs, taken from vertical and oblique angles, map the surface features of the Antarctic landscape, including sea ice formations. The photographs in the collection were used by Roscoe to perform post-operation research for and form drafts of his 1952 PhD thesis, “Contributions to the Study of Antarctic Surface Features by Photogeographical Methods." As such, the collection contains both loose photographs and photographs integrated into rough drafts of the thesis, as well as other sources used by Roscoe in his research on this topic. The drafts consist of photographs grouped together by topic, cut, outlined, and captioned. Almost all aerial photographs in the collection are labeled officially by their sector, mission, and run, which corresponds to three geographic areas in Antarctica (AAC, AAE, and AAW), and the organization of photography flights. There are also photographs taken at ground level of various landscape and surface features, some of which are incorporated into the thesis drafts, as well as images of the Operation’s camp and camp life, ships, planes, and Antarctic fauna. The collection includes other materials related to Operation Highjump, such as Roscoe’s correspondence received from 1946-1947, and four volumes of the official Naval report of Operation Highjump, dated 1948. The collection also contains materials related to other aspects of Roscoe’s career, such as correspondence received while he was working at the Photo Interpretation Center in Washington D.C. before Operation Highjump, a Topcon stereoscope viewer dated circa 1980s, and the oral history interview he gave to the Ohio State University Byrd Polar Research Center Archival Program in 2002. The collection is dated 1944-2003, with the bulk of materials dated circa 1946-1952.

The Jonathan Duff Reed Papers consist of materials related to the 1926 Byrd Arctic Expedition and first Byrd Antarctic Expedition (BAE I, 1928-1930), including letters of recommendation sent to Admiral Richard E. Byrd on behalf of Reed, portraits of Reed in his expedition gear, photographs taken by Reed during the expeditions, and the Kodak camera he used, equipped with a fast lens for the snow. Also included are newspaper clippings about the expeditions, as well as Byrd's obituaries. Reed's certificate from the United States Navy appointing him as midshipman, his honorable discharge certificate from the United States Army, and a certificate authorizing him to man a lifeboat from the United States Department of Commerce are included. Materials are dated circa 1910-1930, and 1950-1965.

The Kappa Phi, Epsilon Chapter Records contains the club's annual program card and senior breakfast program, as well as several yearbooks and event programs; materials are dated 1928-1969.

The Lois M. Jones Papers, dated circa 1952-1999, contains 18,275 35mm slides, negatives, and photographs of the first all-women expedition to Antarctica from 1969-1970, clippings, and correspondence sent to Lois Jones. The collection also contains one photocopy of Lois Jones' 1969 dissertation, "The Application of Strontium Isotopes as Natural Tracers: The Origin of the Salts in the Lakes and Soils of Southern Victoria Land, Antarctica," one bound copy of an earlier progress report from the dissertation, and calculations, graphs, and aerial photographs used in the dissertation. Rock samples Jones likely collected during her time working at Conoco, Inc. are also included.

The Martin W. Essex Papers contain plaques and awards awarded to Martin W. Essex by various educational and governmental entities, along with photographs of Martin and Blanche Essex; these items span the dates 1933 through 1990.

The Mortimer Turner Papers, dated 1945-2004, contains correspondence, maps, an oral history, publications, proposals, reports, photographs, negatives, budgets, oral histories, rosters, forms, lantern slides and a hooded parka that come from his tenure at both the Division of Polar Programs and the Office of Polar Programs at the National Science Foundation. The collection also contains a few personal files and files related to other positions that Turner held during his career.

This collection contains scrapbooks, artifacts, and other ephemera related to class reunions.

The Ohio State University, Department of Athletics' Jesse Owens Track Classic Records contain programs from the Classic itself and related banquets, as well as a button and a pin worn at Classic events. The collection material dates from 1983 to 2019.

This collection contains reports, bulletins, and other administrative records.

The Ohio State University, Farm and Home Week Records contains lapel buttons, programs, and reports. The collection materials date from 1913-1959.

The Ohio State University, Office of the President (Novice Gail Fawcett) Records contain documents pertaining to Novice Fawcett's inauguration, academic dismissals, committee appointments, investments, recommendations, and a vast array of other documents (Processed series, subseries 1-4). Subseries 5 of the Processed series contains speeches from Novice Fawcett, ranging from before he became University President for the Ohio State University, as well as after his retirement from the position. Note: Boxes 96 and 97, included in Subseries 4, also contain some speeches. Other series in this collection contain plaques, commencement clothing, diplomas, publications, newsletters and other papers related to or created by Novice Fawcett and/or the Office of the President during his term. The collection also contains transcripts and audiocassettes of six oral history interview recordings with President Fawcett.

This collection contains trademarked memorabilia and office files.

The Paul A. Siple Papers, which dates from 1920-2005, contains photographs, correspondence, a scrapbook, newspaper clippings, periodicals, records, artifacts, postal covers relating to Paul's polar experiences. This includes his expeditions with Richard E. Byrd, including Byrd Antarctic Expedition I, 1928-1930 and later polar expeditions such as International Geophysical Year, 1957-1959. The collection also contains periodicals, correspondence and artifacts that show Paul Siple's connection to the Boy Scouts of America. In addition to correspondence with her husband, the collection also contains photographs and articles from and of his wife, Ruth Siple relating to her Antarctican activities and her travel to New Zealand.

The Philip M. Smith Papers, dated circa 1898-1935 and 1954-2013, contains photographs, slides, postal covers, publications, reports, newspaper clippings, treaties, artifacts, certificates and maps, which document Smith's career in administration of research in the Polar Regions, as well as his own fieldwork. Some of the artifacts and framed prints contain materials such as paintings and signs that predate Smith's career and relate to polar explorers, including British explorers, and to landscapes.

The Stuart D. Paine and Paine Family Papers, which dates from 1921-1988 and 2010, contains Paine's diaries, sketches, artifacts, notes, certificates, maps and newsclippings that he appeared to gather during and about the Second Byrd Antarctic Expedition (1933-1935). The collection also contains United States Geological Survey quad maps, essays and interview transcripts created and collected by Paine's family regarding his experience during the expedition and about his lead sledge dog, Jack the Giant Killer.

The Walter K. Queen Papers contain correspondence, photographs, records, artifacts, and ephemera created or collected by Walter K. Queen that mostly document his experience during the Byrd Antarctic Expedition II (BAE II). The bulk of the papers consist of correspondence, which includes letters, telegrams, and radiograms sent and received by Queen. Much of the correspondence was to and from Queen's wife and daughters during BAE II as well as to and from Richard E. Byrd during and after BAE II. The photographs were mostly taken during BAE II and are images of Antarctica and the ships used during the expedition. Also included are records and messages to Queen that relate to his role as chief engineer aboard the S.S. Jacob Ruppert during BAE II and the refitting the Bear of Oakland in 1939 for the United States Antarctic Service Expedition. The artifacts include uniform pieces, glass bottles from Byrd expeditions, and two nails taken from the Bear of Oakland. Also included are three pocket Bibles, an address book, and an autograph book owned by Queen during BAE II. Ephemera, programs, and other materials related to events from after BAE II are also included. Materials are dated from 1900-1981, with the bulk of the materials dated from 1933-1939. The materials from after Queen's death were received and collected by the Queen family and relate to Queen's experiences in Antarctica during BAE II.

The William M. McCulloch Papers, dated circa 1905-2010, with the bulk of the material dating 1947-1972, document the public service career of McCulloch (R-Piqua) as a member of the United States House of Representatives for the 4th Ohio Congressional District for 26 years, from November 1947 to January 1973. Although a few items date from McCulloch’s terms in the Ohio General Assembly or from his personal life, including his childhood, and his military service in World War II, the vast majority of the collection consists of the records compiled by the Washington, D.C. office of Congressman McCulloch. The collection contains correspondence, invitations, clippings, campaign files, bills, reports, press releases, issue mail (letters from his constituents regarding certain policies or legislation), memoranda, photographs, certificates and artifacts. There are also a few materials from after McCulloch's death in 1980 that commemorate his legacy.

The William Ray Flesher Papers contain scrapbooks, awards, biographical materials, publications and writings, Ph.D. materials, college yearbooks, four academic hoods, and one cap.