Fonds consists of an annotated typescript manuscript and page proofs of Zolbrod's translation of the Japanese classic Ugetsu Monogatari ("Tales of Moonlight and Rain") and an unpublished manuscript entitled Reluctant Genius: The Life and Work of Buson, a Japanese Master of Haiku and Painting.

The fonds consists of a curriculum vitae, incoming and outgoing correspondence, lecture notes, course syllabi, speeches and papers, book reviews, lists of Howes publications, surveys, application forms for grants and academic leaves, research notes, committee minutes, photographs and architectural drawings. The fonds consists of 10 series: Personal Records, Correspondence, Course Materials, Conferences and Seminars, Asian Studies Department, Book Reviews, Professional Papers, Research Materials, Subject Files and Photographs. The records were organized according to either Howes original filing system or to its overall contents.

The fonds consists of minutes from the Departments of Asian Studies (1968-1992) and History (1964-1992) as well as committee material and other records generated by these two units (1962-1992). In addition, Harnetty has provided several detailed lists which serve as abstracts for much of the material. The fonds also includes copies of speeches by Harnetty between 1961 and 1966, course material from 1985 to 1992, and other ephemera.

The fonds consists of correspondence (1940-1984), articles and addresses by Soward (1926-1969), book reviews (1950-1965), collected articles and book reviews by others, and a collection of newspaper and magazine clippings. Also included are copies of a weekly column entitled "The Way of the World" that Soward wrote for the Vancouver Morning Star (1927-1929).