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This collection contains a "The Forget Me Not Album" belonging to Bettie A. Ford, of Lynchburg, Virginia. The album contains a mix of hand-written sentiments, poems, and remembrances written to Ford. The entries are mostly signed by initial or first name and many are dated. A few of the entries have annotations with additional information about the creator. In addition to these entries, there appear to be journal type jottings, possibly written by Ford. Also included are printed poems, newspaper clippings, pressed flowers and at least one illustration that has been pasted in and hand colored. Some pages appear to have been torn out.

This collection contains the friendship album belonging to a woman named Caroline. It is assumed from the locations of the authors of the entries that she was from Massachusetts as towns listed include Plymouth, Boston, Berkley, etc. The earliest note from this album dates from 1837 and is a loose page that was inserted into the front covers. The page has two original poems written in 1837 and 1838, by Ester Holmes of Plymouth, entitled "The Thunder Storm," and "Parting of a mother with her child." The rest of the entries date from 1841 to 1880 and range from short notes and quotes, to full length poems. Aside from the entries made by friends and family, there are six color illustrations of flowers,including the title page, that have been hand finished.

This collection contains one notebook filled with poems and some loose newspaper clippings of printed verse. The inside front cover is signed, "Mrs. Clara D. Nelson's book." The book is full of poems copied down by Clara. Some of the poems included are "The golden side," by Mary Ann Kidder, "The old, old home," [Reverend Henry Brown], "Peace," by J.G. Whittier, and "Watching and waiting," by Marianne Farningham.

This collection contains an essay book belonging to Emily Somerset, who lived in England. Bound in contemporary morocco with Essays of Emily Somerset embossed in gilt to front cover and has decorative endpapers. Adhered to front pastedown is a contemporary gift plate reading: "E. Somerset from her cousin, C. Somerset, 1867". A later gift inscription in pencil to verso of front endpaper, "Annie Usher from her Uncle. November 28th 1923." The essay entries began in 1867 when Emily was eighteen. The manuscript contains twelve essays with decorative calligraphic head and tail pieces written over forty-five pages, with an additional three pages of recipes at the back of the book. Some essays, such as the opening title "On self culture," reflect popular trends in education regarding women's physical and mental health (including the importance of balancing classroom time with exercise). Others suggest Emily's more individual interests or perceptions of the world conveyed in essays like "Art and its effect upon us" (August 1867), while others reveal her deep interest in literature like her February 17, 1868 essay "On Books" which argues for the importance of books and the consumption of literature. Entries end in 1873, leaving the latter half of the book blank. Emily became a Wesleyan schoolmistress and married schoolteacher William James Middleton in 1879. She died in 1921. The question remains whether Emily Somerset and the later owner, Annie Usher were related in some way, as Emily's death in 1921 is quite close to Annie's receipt of the manuscript as a gift in 1923.

This collection consists of three commonplace books belonging to Harriet "Hatty" S. Rowley, of Utica, New York. The books are nicknamed the Books of Wisdom and ignorance in part because one notebook was titled "Ignorance Book," by Rowley, while the other two books were labeled with the following note, "Aunt Harriet's books of wisdom." These books hold recordings of quotes from famous authors and orators of the late 19th century, and as such they are full of "wisdom" and advice on life.

This collection features a memory book belonging to Miss Isabella Bain (1855-1934) of New Orleans, Louisiana. Various personal letters from friends and New Orleans community members addressed to Miss Bain are included.

This collection contains a friendship album for Mollie Virginia Rinker of Leesburg, Louden County, Virginia. The album contains poems, drawings, sentiments and tokens of affection compiled mostly during the Civil War and just after. The final page in the album is damaged; an image or text was cut from the book leaving a large hole in the page.