The Dorothy Sears Ainsworth Papers contain significant documentation of her involvement with Smith College as a student, alumnae, professor, and with the Smith College Relief Unit. The bulk of the collection rests in Ainsworth's professional correspondence as she created various congresses and organizations to further communication about women's physical education. Also included are newspaper clippings, press releases, photographs, programs, as well as histories and constitutions of various organizations.

The collection also has some photographs that denote women's physical education costumes around the world and histories of various sports including pamphlets showing colonial games.

The collection is divided into the following series: Biography, Smith College, Correspondence, Organizations, Conferences, Writings, Subject Files, Photographs, Awards, Scrapbooks.

Note: The National Association for Physical Education for College Women of the United States (NAPECW) created the first Congress in Copenhagen 1949. At the second Congress in Paris, the heads of the delegations formed an Association and they decided that instead of having a continuing committee, they would form The International Association of Physical Education and Sports for Girls and Women (IAPESGW). This group continued the meeting of Congresses every four years.