The fonds consists of: 1) correspondence - mainly with fellow writers including Patrick Lane, Susan Musgrave, George Payerle, Robin Skelton, and George Woodcock and with publishers; 2) manuscripts - mainly of his own poetry, drama, and prose, including a BC Bibliography of Literature; 3) notebooks - in which appear ideas, diary entries, drafts of work, etc.; and 4) audio cassettes (not yet listed).
The fonds consists of manuscripts and typescripts of: Reference West Chapbooks and Hawthorne Anthologies; Reference West publications such as B.C. Profiles, The Preview, Fortnightly Preview, The Poetry Newsletter, and Reference West; and Reference West Bibliographical Checklists, Catalogues and Symposia. It also includes some manuscript/typescript material not included in the Chapbooks, together with some correspondence from a few of the authors.
The fonds consists of correspondence from Lorna Crozier, William Deverell, Kuldip Gill, Martin Gray, Eldon Grier, George Johnston, Peter Trower, Miriam Waddington, George Woodcock and William New. Signed manuscript of Purdy's poem "Winter at Roblin Lake".