The Ginling College Records cover a period from 1920 to 1993. However, the majority of the materials span the time when interaction between Smith and Ginling was at its peak, from 1920 to 1950. A large quantity of the material is composed of letters, reports, photographs, and publications. Other types of material represented in the collection include articles, published works, and other memorabilia.

The collection includes many letters from alumnae committees regarding the development of Ginling College, as well as minutes from meetings. Insight into the political turmoil rampant in China during the period can be gained from the reports of Ginling administrators and faculty. The Ginling College budgets are also included, with the breakdown of spending on various areas.

There are also a few papers on the history of Ginling College, most notably a book by Mrs. Lawrence Thurston, the first president of the College. Faculty files, such as that of Dr. Wu Yi-fang, detail what it was like to live and teach at Ginling at that particular period. Letters, notes, and bulletins of various organizations associated with Ginling also give one a sense of the early history of the college. There are records from the Association of Christian Colleges in China, the Board of Directors, the Board of Founders, and the United Board of Christian Colleges in China.

Photographs of buildings, students, and faculty in various time periods, accompanied by descriptions, also give one a feel for campus life. There are many newsletters on events and developments at Ginling, as well as brochures and course bulletins. Publications of student organizations and the President's reports also prove a good source of information on life at Ginling.

This collection is organized into five series:

• I. Alumnae Committee for Ginling College
• II. Ginling College: General
• III. Organizations
• IV. Photographs
• V. Publications