In addition to being involved in many political and social justice movements, Adams also avidly collected items related to those causes. This series contains three subseries: the leftist literature collection; the poster collection; and the button collection.

This series contains newspapers; magazines; newsletters, bulletins, and pamphlets; brochures; booklets; books; posters; and buttons.

This series contains records related to the different associations and political movements that Adams was involved in after he moved to Vancouver in the late 1960s. The series is largely focused on two organizations/movements: the Vancouver American Exiles Association (VAEA) and the Galindo Madrid movement.

In the mid 1960s, as the war in Vietnam ramped up, those wishing to avoid being drafted into the American military began to leave the United States and settled into new countries, including Canada. In 1968, deferments for those attending university or college were dropped, and as a result, a larger amount of war resisters moved to Canada to avoid being enlisted in the army. Those who resisted the war were threatened with arrest if they ever returned to the United States.

VAEA was an organization, in which Adams played a central role in, that fought for amnesty for American war resisters living in Canada. VAEA also provided support and resources for Americans who had come to Vancouver to escape the draft. The records pertaining to VAEA include correspondence written by or to VAEA members; meeting minutes; interviews that Adams or other VAEA members gave about the organization and about amnesty for war evaders; research material; and journal and news clippings related to Anti-Vietnam protest and amnesty movements both in Canada and the United.

The other major movement Adams was involved in was the Galindo Madrid case. In 1976, Galindo Madrid came to Vancouver from Chile, claiming refugee status from the Chilean Government. Madrid lost his case with the Government of Canada and was sentenced to be deported back to Chile. However, the Vancouver Chile Association, a small but vocal group, protested this deportation and aimed to save Madrid from being sent out of Canada. Vancouver NDP MP Svend Robinson even sheltered Madrid in his own home while a defense team was formed to help keep Madrid in Canada. Records pertaining to this case include news clippings and research related to the political situation in Chile; correspondence; financial records documenting the Galindo Madrid defense movement; leaflets and bulletins; and news and journal clippings related to the case in Vancouver. Madrid was eventually allowed to stay in Canada.

Other records include other activities and movements that Adams was either a part of or took an interest in, mainly in the Vancouver region, but also around Canada and the United States. These records include conference materials and proceedings; bulletins and newsletters; correspondence; and other research material either created by or collected by Adams.

This series contains records pertaining to Adam's personal life, including records related to his education and his work. His educational records consist of his school files including report cards; certificates and awards; reports and articles; newsclippings about Adams' or related to his interests; and correspondence dating from kindergarten to Adams' first year of university. Other records dating from this period of Adams' life include records related to some of Adams' interests as a child and teenager, such as: badges, certificates; memorabilia from Adams time as a Boy Scout; and journals and items that Adams collected such as postcards and rock minerals.

The series also contains records related to the various positions Adams had over the course of his working career. Adams worked mainly as a researcher and consultant, and, as a result, he amassed and kept much of his research related to the projects he did for Simon Fraser University, Vancouver Public Library, the Legal Services Commission, the Coast Foundation Society, the Canadian Mental Health Association, and the Asbestos Monitoring Project. These records include: articles written or collected by Adams; newspaper clippings and journal articles; news bulletins, letters, and pamphlets; and photographs related to or about the projects being researched by Adams. Other records related to Adams' work include correspondence and CV files.

The series also contains records related to Adams' personal life and interests as an adult. These records include correspondence to and from Adams from his family and friends back in the United States; his post card collection; diaries and journals; photographs of Adams and his family; flyers and newsletters of political and other events around Vancouver; and newspaper and journal clippings related to Adams' interests.

Finally, the series also contains copies of eulogies given at Adams' funeral in 1999, as well a copy of the guestbook.