The Nancy Shimanek Boyd papers date from 1973 to 2017 and measure 5.42 linear feet (14 boxes and 1 flat file). The collection is organized into three series: Personal, Iowa House of Representatives, and State employment. The Iowa House of Representatives series makes up most of the collection.

The Personal series (1979-1997) contains a biography, a leadership award, and research related to women serving in leadership roles. It also includes newspapers and a program from Pope John Paul II’s 1979 visit to the Living History Farms in Urbandale, Iowa.

The Iowa House of Representatives series (1973-2007, bulk 1977-1981) is organized into five sub-series: Bills, Committees, Correspondence and communications, Scrapbooks, and Topical files. The Bills sub-series contains copies of bills, including drafts and amendments, with notes. The Committees sub-series contains meeting minutes, correspondence, notes, and research files from various committees Shimanek served on. The Correspondence and communications sub-series contains letters from constituents and other politicians as well as newsletters from Shimanek. This sub-series is organized chronologically by year and month. The Scrapbooks sub-series contains scrapbooks created by Shimanek that include newspaper clippings, letters, photographs, and artifacts. The scrapbooks cover elections, legislative sessions, and events. The Topical files sub-series contains materials collected by Shimanek on various political issues; some of the files also include correspondence from constituents on the issue. The Iowa House of Representatives series also includes redistricting plans, name plates, oversize posters with tallying vote counts for Shimanek’s campaigns, and a yard sign.

The State employment series (1982-2017) contains materials related to Shimanek Boyd’s employment after serving in the state legislature. It includes materials from her employment as an administrative assistant to Governor Robert Ray and to the Chief Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court, as well as documentation of her service on the Iowa Utilities Board and the Iowa Board of Parole. Also included are materials from the 1982 Midwestern Governors’ Conference, which Shimanek attended.