The collection contains correspondence, diaries, and other papers of Henrik Joakim Stafseth. Several diaries describe Stafseth's 1925-1926 tour of veterinary and other colleges in seven European countries. At this time he was an Exchange Professor at the Royal Hungarian Veterinary College.

In 1945-1946 Stafseth served as Chief Veterinarian for the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration in China, where he was instrumental in establishing China's first modern veterinary college at Lanchow, Kansu Province. Letters, diaries, and speech notes describe his experiences; and many clippings from Chinese newspapers (in English) relate to the UNRA and Chinese political issues. Included are notes and a plan for postwar reconstruction in Mongolia by K. George Soderbom.

Among other papers are speech notes (1945-1954 and undated) on professional and social - political subjects, and papers (1956-1958) related to the review and appraisal of the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School. Also included are a copy of a proposed East Lansing, Michigan, city charter; and minutes (1943-1944) of the charter commission.

The correspondence includes letters (1942-1945) from Stafseth's son, Henrik Ekroll, which were written during World War II while he was stationed with the Sixteenth Naval Construction Battalion in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and with the Navy Public Works Division in New York.

Three letters and a printed autobiography (volume 29) of Bessie Maxson (born 1874), a social and political reformer and friend of the Stafseths, give an anecdotal history of her activities in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Ojai, California.

The collection also contains photographs and slides which include images of Michigan State University, China, Mexico, people, animals as well as other topics.