The Jane Dorman papers date from 1960 to 2009 and measure 3.16 linear feet. The papers are arranged in 5 series: Biographical, Education, Professional, Correspondence, and Artifacts.

The Biographical series (1960-2007) contains information about Dorman’s personal life and family history. It includes Dorman’s baby book, calendars, clippings, tickets and programs from various events, and her wedding album. Information about Dorman’s family history includes a memoir by her paternal great-grandmother, Eva Knowles Stewart, and a book of poetry kept by her maternal grandmother, Frances Davis, as well as a history of Pine Grove School, where Frances Davis was a teacher and Dorman’s mother, Elizabeth Davis, was a student. An autobiography which Dorman wrote as a teenager may also be found in this series.

Materials in the Education series (1970-2001) document Dorman’s schooling, from her elementary school years to her post-graduate work. They include writing assignments from high school and college covering topics like psychology, personal reflection, counseling, and career development. Her involvement in the residence halls at the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse is chronicled in meeting minutes, clippings, and memos from the Angell Hall Council and the Residence Hall Association. The series also contains three scrapbooks from her high school days and her junior and senior years at UW-LC.

The Professional series (1976-2003) consists of materials from Dorman’s job searches and from her work at Sauk Valley Community College in Illinois and at the University of Iowa. Internal correspondence from the University of Iowa administration, job evaluations, and a comic-book style newsletter from the University of Iowa’s Department of Residence Life are included in this series.

The Correspondence series (1967-2003) includes Christmas letters, invitations, and extensive correspondence between Dorman and her family and friends. The collection’s Artifacts include Dorman’s Girl Scout sash, (onto which many badges and patches are sewn), and the nametag she wore during her time at the University of Iowa’s Department of Residence Services.