The bulk of the Phi Beta Kappa Collection are membership, financial, correspondence, Triennial Council, and publication records. Membership records, 1914-1993, include letters of invitation into the organization and letters of acceptance from selected students. There is also correspondence dealing with the spring and fall elections when new members are chosen. Membership lists include the names of potential members, accepted members, and grade point averages. Also included are newspaper clippings of new members, order forms for Phi Beta Kappa keys, membership receipts, membership file cards, and, in some cases, actual membership certificates.
The financial records, 1914-1986, include treasurer reports, which list the chapter's financial condition annually from 1914 to 1967. The financial records, 1914-1965, contain, for the most part, receipts for registration fees and Phi Kappa Key receipts. The financial records from 1966 to 1986 contain a far greater number of receipts, including bank statements, deposit slips, and limited tax information.
The correspondence files, 1907-1992, include correspondence dealing with the formation of the chapter, university correspondence, and correspondence from the national office; also included is correspondence with the chapter secretary, the majority of which is with the national office.
The Triennial Council Records include correspondence relating to selection of delegates, location of meetings, financial considerations, and delegate's manuals.
Phi Beta Kappa publications include the Phi Beta Kappa Key (Chester Fritz Library holds hard bound volumes of the Key, 1910-1931), the Phi Beta Kappa Bulletin, which documents meetings of the organization on a national level, and the Key Reporter, the national newsletter.