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The Department of Physics Publications are divided into three series: Unit Publications, Sub-Unit Publications, and Topical Publications. The Unit Publications series contains printed material published specifically by the Department of Physics. These publications are defined as being widely distributed and may be published at regular intervals. They are arranged by genre of the publication. The Sub-Unit Publications series contains publications from subordinate offices, departments, programs and organizations within the Department of Physics. These publications are arranged alphabetically by the creating sub-unit.

Correspondence and other papers dealing with departmental plans, reviews and organization, buildings and laboratories, staff recruitment, research, impact of World War I and personal affairs of various staff members especially when they were studying in Europe. Correspondence includes letters of John W. Langley, Robert A. Millikan, Harrison Randall, James M. Cork, Ernest Lawrence, Walter Stevens, John O. Reed, Henry Carhart, Karl Guthe, Fred Hodges, Horace R. Crane, and others. Also includes correspondence of chairmen Daniel Sinclair, Richard H. Sands, and Lawrence W. Jones. Efforts to locate a superconducting super collider in Michigan in the 1980s are well documented in these records.

The Department of Physics records contain budget sheets, clippings, committee minutes, correspondence, departmental review reports, organizational charts, personnel records, and photographs. The records are most informative in the administrative proceedings of the department. They are least informative in curricular and research areas. The records span the years 1873-1995 and are arranged into four series: Administrative Files, Undergraduate and Graduate Programs, Research, and Awards and Special Events and L3 Project. Although there are 19th century records present, the bulk of the records cover the period from 1954 to 1991.

Physicist; professor of physics at the University of Michigan. Personal and biographical files include transcript of oral history interview with Crane regarding nuclear physics; writings, lectures, reprints, and essays, including biographical sketches of University of Michigan physicists; files pertaining to his involvement with the Midwestern Universities Research Association; and photographs.

The papers of H. R. Crane consist of material relating to his career as a pioneer in the field of nuclear and accelerator physics at the University of Michigan. The collection demonstrates the wide breadth of his research interests which also include physics teaching, radiocarbon dating techniques, physics history and geomagnetism. The collection has been divided into four series: Personal, Photographs, Writings, Lectures, etc., and Midwestern Universities Research Association.

Professor Jack van der Velde is Professor Emeritus in the Physics Department of the University of Michigan. His papers focus on the IMB collaboration, which conducted underground experiments to detect proton decay from 1982-1991 in an effort to find experimental proof of the Grand Unified Theory of physics. They also observed neutrinos from a supernova for the first time. The papers mainly consist of meeting notes, research notes, the development of papers, and publications derived from the data.

The papers all pertain to the IMB Experiments. They are divided into seven subseries: Collaborative Meeting Notes, Student Theses, Talks, Publications, Proposals, Research Notes and Memos, and Scholarly Community.

Jens Zorn was a professor of physics and administrator at the University of Michigan. This collection represents his teaching and work in the field of physics, including some of his research and active participation in the International Conference of Atomic Physics. Zorn’s papers also document his many roles in the university community, including activities in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts; the University of Michigan Press; and the University Council.

The Jens Zorn Papers document his professional and academic activities. The collection has been divided into three series: Biographical Material, Physics, and University Activities.

University of Michigan physicist, involved in effort to have Superconducting Super Collider located in Michigan. Papers include documentation of the state of Michigan's proposal for the SSC and some material related to his teaching and professional activities.

The Lawrence W. Jones Papers document Jones' professional activities as an experimental physicist throughout his career from 1952 through 2006, including major research interests as well as his participation in professional organizations and the administrative life of the University of Michigan. Jones' papers are arranged in seven series: Superconducting Super Collider, Professional Activities, Correspondence, Research Logs, and Subject Files, Biographical, and Professional Files.

Professor of physics at the University of Michigan (1947-1988); director of the cyclotron laboratory, 1962-1977; inventor of method and apparatus for measuring the velocity of a projectile and of an automatic timing and sequence-indicating system used in swimming. Series in the collection relate to cyclotron laboratory and research; department of physics activities, including history; professional organizations; swimming judging and timing system; University of Michigan committee assignments; and photographs.

The William C. Parkinson Papers consist of 5.25 linear feet of documents relating to the professional career of physics professor William C. Parkinson, spanning years 1950 through 1990 with the bulk of the material dating from 1950 to 1980. The papers were received in two major accession in July 1991 and May 2012.

The first accession was broken into five series: Cyclotron, Physics Department, Professional Organizations, Swimming Judging and Timing System, and University Committees. There is also a folder entitled "Biographical/Historical Information" at the beginning of the collection which includes a 1974 vita and a publication on the cyclotron laboratory of which Parkinson was director.

The 2012 Accession included additions to the Cyclotron and Physics Department series and two new series: Consulting and Visual Materials.