The collection contains reports prepared for and by a variety of Soviet and Ukrainian government agencies, such as the KGB, documenting and detailing the most important developments in the wake of the explosion of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) on April 26, 1986 in the Ukrainian city of Pripyat. It also provides internal reports and investigations on the various causes of the disaster, including the problems with the design of the NPP, and the extent of the Soviet and Ukrainian government knowledge on many of the shortcomings that made the Chernobyl meltdown not only possible but in a sense inevitable.

The Chernobyl Newspapers Collection comprises three previously unavailable local newspapers published in the Chernobyl area in the years before and after the nuclear disaster. The collection gives researchers unique access to important lesser-known primary sources from the era. The two newspapers "Prapor peremohy" (1981-1988) and "Trybuna pratsi" (1981-1990), published in Ukrainian within or in the immediate vicinity of the exclusion zone, provide the opportunity to explore the larger socio-cultural and historical context of the regions affected by the Chernobyl disaster. "Tribuna Energetika" (1979-1990), published in Russian under the aegis of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, provides insight into the everyday life of the power plant and the city of Pripyat.

The J. Walter Thompson Company Archive documents the history, operation, policies and accomplishments of one of the world's largest and oldest advertising firms. The papers here reveal many aspects of twentieth-century cultural, social, business, marketing, consumer and economic history while investigating the human psyche. The documents range from the late nineteenth century up until the late 1990s with the bulk representing the post-1945 world. The collections included are the Publications, Account Files for nine key clients, Staff Newsletters, Staff Writings & Speeches, Chicago Office Research, New York Office Research, New Business Records, Information Center Records, Corporation Vertical Files, Review Board Records, Staff Meeting Minutes and a selection of Print Advertisements. A huge number of brands, companies, and industries are covered from automobiles to cosmetics and cruises. It includes complete files on some of J. Walter Thompson’s key accounts.

Market Research and American Business, 1935-1965 provides a unique insight into the American consumer boom of the mid-20th century through access to the complete market research reports of Ernest Dichter, the era’s foremost consumer analyst, market research pioneer and widely-recognised ‘father’ of Motivational Research. The collection is a treasure trove of information on some of America’s best known brands, containing thousands of reports commissioned by advertising agencies and global businesses in a booming era for consumerism, ‘Madison Avenue’ advertising and global brands on consumer goods ranging from tobacco and broadcasting to cars and hotels.