This collection contains records relating to John Keiser’s work at SSU. This includes manuscript drafts, outlines, research notes, and graphs for Keiser's book, "Building for the Centuries: Illinois, 1865-1898," published in 1977 by the University of Illinois Press as part of the Sesquicentennial History of Illinois series. It also includes collected pamphlets, clippings, reports, correspondence, newsletters, journals and other publications concerning labor history and unions, particularly the United Mine Workers, Missouri Teamsters and Harold Gibbons, dating from 1920-1977. Also, manuscript drafts, clippings and correspondence regarding Keiser's syndicated Illinois history newspaper column, "Looking Back," and speeches, letters and clippings concerning SSU and its University Assembly.

There are also speech drafts, official memos, letters, tenure self-evaluations, and clippings concerning Keiser's career as a SSU history professor and in SSU administration. Includes Keiser's hard-bound compilation of his addresses to faculty (1971-1978), a hard-bound, unpublished manuscript describing faculty unrest at Eastern Illinois University (where Keiser taught before his career at SSU), as well as his remarks presented at each of SSU commencements, 1972-1978 (tipped into each respective commencement booklet). A commemorative paperweight (Lincoln Land Community College groundbreaking, 1970) included in the donation was transferred to the Artifacts Collection.

In addition, it contains proposals for B.A. and M.A. degree programs 1973-74, Academic Programs status report 1971 Vol 1-V, memos, correspondence and minutes on the Illinois Legislative Center 1975-78, the Public Policy Evaluation Center 1973-75, the Academic Cabinet 1974-79, and includes appointments, promotions and Tenure 1972-73. Additionally, academic and nonacademic New & Expanded Program Requests (NEPR) for 1975-77, the Resource Allocation Management Program (RAMP) 1974-77; minutes, memos and notes from other colleges and universities around the state of Illinois 1974-78.