Series documents McCaslin’s various personal, professional, and administrative activities spanning from 1970 to 2023. Awards, achievements and other accolades received by McCaslin from publishers, associations, societies, writing or poetry contests, are included in the series with correspondence and other related information. Materials related to McCaslin’s academic work during the preparation of her Ph.D. thesis at UBC are included in a file. The series contains substantial correspondence between McCaslin and various poets, authors, professors, writers, students, colleagues and visual artists both Canadian and International. McCaslin collaborated with various musicians and visual artists in several literary activities and presentations, correspondence, publicity and background materials are included in these files. Subject files within the series contain background research, drafts and preparation documents for various essays and non-fiction pieces prepared by McCaslin. Including ecopoetics, spirituality and poetry, Thomas Merton and Mary Olga Park. An index of literary influences is provided by McCaslin (RBSC-ARC-1847-09-22), additional files relating to specific literary associates contain correspondence, biographical information, reference material and notes. Some of these associates include Robin Blaser, E.D. Blodgett, Kuldip Gill, Grace Jantzen and Peter Russell.

Series contains transcripts, correspondence and reference material related to radio, magazine or newspaper interviews with McCaslin. The series also includes materials related to numerous poetry readings and events McCaslin engaged in between 1979-2023. Draft speeches, copies of poems, invitations, correspondence and promotional material related to these events appear in the files. As well as reference material and copies of poems consulted by McCaslin during her poetry memorization practice. McCaslin participated in Poetry in Transit, a project featuring poetry and artistic expression within BC Transit vehicles and spaces; catalogues and copies of the printed bus panels appear in the series. Both reviews about McCaslin’s work and reviews written by McCaslin for others appear in the series, as well as various letters of reference in support of McCaslin’s application for awards or other initiatives. Significant records relate to the preparation of talks, presentations, hosted and organized by McCaslin. The titles of a few talks are: Mothers, Mystics, Monsters (2002), Mental Illness and Poetry (2006), Ecopoetics and Contemplation (2017) and The Forgotten Feminine (2005). The series also includes materials related to workshops developed by McCaslin focusing on Leonard Cohen (2009), her memoir Into the Mystic (2009-10), and Ekphrastic Poetry (2019). Drafts and versions of unpublished works are included in the series. The series also includes significant material from the Han Shan Poetry Initiative led by McCaslin and her husband. Han Shan records include newspaper clippings, correspondence, attendance sheets, articles, planning, maps, events, poetry, artistic works, photographs and other related materials which were originally organized into two binders. Within several files, McCaslin has provided a brief explanation of the materials contained within, this may include contextual information about her relationship with an individual, organization or additional background information.