The American Society of Polar Philatelists Polar History Research Materials contains research materials that an unknown member of the American Society of Polar Philatelists donated to the organization. The materials are mostly about expeditions and scientific research in the polar regions, such as Operation Deep Freeze and the United States Antarctic Research Program (USARP). A small amount of materials are about philately related to the polar regions. The materials include press clippings, periodicals, newsletters, reports, other publications, press releases, as well as some maps, photographs, and administrative records. The materials are dated from 1922-1985 with the bulk of materials from 1950-1970. The file titles were created by the member who compiled the research. Some file titles are preceded by alphanumeric identifiers, which were also assigned by the member who compiled the research.

The Charles R. Bentley Papers, dated 1948-2011, contains data sheets, data books, seismograms, aerial photographs, punched cards, microfilm, and magnetic data tapes compiled during his career as a polar scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In addition, the collection contains course documentation, correspondence, maps, publications, minutes, programs, equipment and member lists, forms, proposals and reports gathered from Bentley's interactions with professional organizations, his expeditions, and the courses he taught at University of Wisconsin-Madison. The collection includes national and international meetings files that come from numerous polar and related organizations.

The Ian M. Whillans Papers, dated 1955-2001, contains datasheets, maps, reports, articles, aerial photographs, negatives, notes, equipment lists, calculations and field books regarding Whillans' glaciological research in Antarctica and Arctic regions.

The John H. Mercer Papers contain materials related to Mercer's research as a glaciologist with the Institute of Polar Studies from 1960-1987, such as aerial photographs, 16mm films, 35mm slides, field notebooks, correspondence, grant proposals, data reports, maps, published and unpublished articles, and other administrative materials. The collection also contains reference materials, including published works by other authors, and Mercer's official reviews and personal notes on the works of other researchers. There are also some personal materials, including photographic slides, in the collection. The materials date from 1912-1987, with the bulk dating from 1960-1987.

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.