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The Smith, Bottomly, and Lill Family Papers, 1827-1984, document four generations of a family. The collection focuses primarily on George Smith between 1827-72, to a lesser extent on his children and grandchildren (the Bottomlys'), and then increases in volume with the next generation (the Lills'), especially between 1934-45.
In the first series, journals and diaries, there are four items. Included in one of the journals is an interesting account of George Smith's trip from Iowa to Nebraska by wagon in 1865.
Correspondence (1828-1984), the second series in the collection, is housed in three document boxes and comprises the largest series in the collection. Items within the series are organized chronologically. The bulk of the items are the incoming and outgoing correspondence from 1934-45 between Percy and Helen Lill and their seven children, most of whom were either attending Kansas State College, preparing for military duty, or actively fighting overseas in World War II. Correspondence among family and friends, while the Lill brothers were attending K-State, describes student life. Also included in the collection are some letters by their mother, Helen Bottomly Lill, when she attended K-State from 1900-05. Perhaps the most significant items in the collection, however, are the early Smith family correspondence from 1828-41 because of its description of life in Vermont and the settlement of the Midwest particularly Iowa.
Contained in the third series, literary works, are speeches and essays housed in five folders. Although some of the works are undated, most were, apparently, penned by George Smith.
In the next series, education, there are a variety of items including diplomas, school programs, teachers' certificates, and grade cards. These items are diverse and cover the period from 1927-1953 and are contained in two folders.
The fifth series, medicine, contains a single item, a 1921 handwritten cold remedy.
The sixth series, Booth Association, is housed in one folder. This organization was formed on November 15, 1854, in New York by descendants of the Booth family of England, who claim to be the lawful heirs of the Booth family estates. Included in the materials are the association's constitution and by-laws, a membership fee receipt, certificate, and newsletter made out to George Smith, and a broadside removed to a larger flat box because of its size.
In the seventh series, financial documents, there are many items dating from 1837-1953; ledgers, receipts, bank statements, tax information, and related pieces. These materials are organized chronologically with the ledgers filed separately at the end of the series.
Genealogy, the eighth series, is separated by surname. There are some original handwritten items placed at the beginning of the series but most of the materials are photocopied, typed, or handwritten reproductions of original documents. These materials, contained in eleven folders, provide biographical information about the families.
The ninth series, printed materials, consists of Christmas and greeting cards, advertising cards, certificates, and miscellaneous items. These are housed in five folders.
The last series, photographs, are separated by family surname, specifically, or more generally, as family and friends. All negatives and tintypes are identified. Unidentified photographs are filed at the end of the series. Photographs of locations in Kansas, particularly of the campus at K-State, have been removed and placed in the University Archives photograph collection.

The suggestion box was made by Chester Peters. He made it to resemble a book, with "Library Improvement" as the title, "A. Wild Cat" as the author, and "Chdokas Press" as the publisher.

This artificial collection includes postcards of subjects that include Kansas State University, Fort Riley, Manhattan, and Kansas. Some cards are addressed and others are blank.

The Dean Brice G. Hobrock collection encompasses the major growth of the KSU Library system during his tenure as Dean of Libraries at Kansas State. The collection spans from 1982 to 2005 and is 20 cubic feet.
The collection includes a large amount of correspondence from Hobrock to Jean Darbyshire, Karen Cole, Linda Beckwith, Bob Kreger, Jean McDonald, and Kathy Fronce from 1994 to 2000; the correspondence and memorandum papers mainly concern important library and KSU issues. In addition, this collection also contains a substantial amount of information regarding the renovation of Farrell library and the construction of the Hale additions in the mid-1990s, including building moves, funding, architectural and engineering papers, and building history.
This series also includes the Dean's legacy project, strategic planning, library administrative papers, the United States Agricultural Information Network(USAIN), Library endowments, and external relations with the KSU Foundation, regional universities. and China, library budget 1986-2005, and ARL annual salary reviews and statistics. The administrative papers include acquisitions, annual reports, Big 12 correspondence, the board of regents correspondence, budget info and planning, capital improvement plans, Council of directors and Deans of libraries, collection management, faculty evaluations, tenure and promotion, Friends of the Library, minority student concerns, correspondence with the state of Kansas, library issues and planning, multicultural affairs, the National Agricultural Library(NAL), a task force on issues facing women faculty, and virtual library development

The Alice L. Paddleford Wood Papers contain personal writing, newspapers items from her college days, and advertising. The papers are housed in ten boxes.
The advertisements and the printed materials are from Wood's work in advertising from 1925 to 1933. Most of these are from the Periodical Publishing Company and the Jaqua Company, although there are some ads from the Chapin's and Martin's department stores. The printed materials are mostly catalogs and journals that advertise furniture or give tips on how to make a house look nice.
The Literary Works contain articles and writings from college that Wood wrote as well as clippings that that was about her. Some of the articles written by Wood are from the Brown Bull. These have been transferred to the cataloged publications area of the University Archives.
The Edited Works contain edited documents by Wood and the Subject Series focuses on important people, times, or events. Wood edited the Kansas State Collegian in 1924 and 1925, and the Manhattan Daily Nationalist from September 8, 1924, to November 18, 1924, excluding the Sunday editions. These papers are in the Edited Works. The Subject Series is organized alphabetically by subject heading. Topics include important events and people such as the sinking of the Titanic, President Harding's death, Theodore Roosevelt, and World War I.
The remainder of the series is smaller. The Correspondence Series has some memos from her work at the Periodical Publishing Company and letters to Clementine Paddleford. The Invitations Series has invitations that could have possibly been designed by Wood as well as those she received. The Photographs Series contains photos of furniture and room layouts. The Sign Series includes patriotic signs from World War I.

The collection maintains the papers of Curtis Kastner, Ph.D. regarding his educational and professional career at Kansas State University. The bulk of the collection is included in the Instructional Material and Research/Professional Development series’ which hold research proposals, class syllabi, presentations, and conference materials. The carcass disposal research is contained in the Research and Professional Development series, however, the information is particularly important to the development of the Food Science Institute and the later Biosecurity Research Institute. Both of which Kastner played a large role in developing. Other records include faculty meeting agenda, faculty correspondence, and developmental material related to the Food Science and Biosecurity Research Institutes at Kansas State.

The K-State Salina Archival Records contain subject files, committee records, Deans’ records, campus agreements and title, student organization, and special event records that range from the 1960s to 2023. Additionally, the records contain photographic records that document the history of the K-State Salina campus including Kansas Technical Institute, and the Shilling Institute. The records are organized by series. There are also a number of items that are non-paper records, such as, tee-shirts, flags, and banners.