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The David Kirby Rare Book Collection contains literature, poetry, chapbooks, and literary magazines from the 19th, 20th, and 21st century. The collection includes first edition, inscribed, and autographed volumes. Authors and poets present in the collection include Janet Burroway, Rudyard Kipling, H.E. Bates, Bin Ramke, and Thomas Hardy, as well as a run of Apalachee Review (originally Apalachee Quarterly) from 1973-1987. The collection also contains letters written to David Kirby from 1967-2016 by authors and poets including Joyce Carol Oates, Leon Edel, and Bruce Jay Friedman.

The Mildred and William H. Finger papers detail Private William H. Finger's experiences as a member of Company E, 160th Infantry Regiment of the 40th Infantry Division in the United States Army during World War II. Finger provides insight into his time during basic training at Fort McClellan in Alabama and his time spent overseas in the Philippines. His wife Mildred wrote back and forth to him about his family and the significance of letter writing while he is away from home. The collection contains letters and documents.

The Raymond Wayne Davis papers are largely centered around letters Davis wrote to his sister Mildred Kingston Renwick throughout World War II. During the war, Sergeant Davis served as a machinist in the Strategic 3rd Air Depot of the Army Air Force as well as serving in the infantry as a part of the Third Army, 90th Division, 358th Infantry, Company C. Davis served in England, France, Germany, and Czechoslovakia. His papers also include postwar division newsletters, an oral history interview, a veteran's questionnaire, discharge certificate, and photographs.

This World War II collection relates to Robert C. Watson, an African American soldier who served in the Navy during World War II. It contains a page of the roll call from the 316th Port Company with Robert C. Watson's name. There are also news articles and comics from the base. There are photographs of Robert C. Watson's unit and his Veteran's questionnaire. There is also an article he wrote about his experience as a black man who appeared white in the Navy.