This collection houses a variety of material documenting George Garrett's scholarly and literary career. Although some of these items show Garrett's early work, the majority of the material is more recent.

Series I houses notes, drafts, complete manuscripts, and published works documenting Garrett's Southern Excursions: Views on Southern Letters In My Time. This book is composed of reviews, biographical pieces, and essays discussing both well known and more obscure Southern authors. Series II houses reports that Garrett wrote during his time as the Short Story Series Editor at the Louisiana State University Press. These documents detail Garrett's reasons for recommending certain works for publication.

Series III houses notes that Garrett used for speeches he gave throughout the United States. The topics range from discussions of authors and their works to Garrett's own work, including his Elizabethan Trilogy. Series IV houses reviews that Garrett wrote for the New York Times Book Review in addition to short fiction pieces and some material intended for Southern Excursions but published in other forms.

Series V houses complete and incomplete fiction pieces, articles about Garrett, materials showing the George Garrett festival hosted by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and notes documenting Garrett's life.