The Allan W. Anderson Papers (1949-2010) document Dr. Anderson’s work as a poet and academic in religious studies. The majority of the material dates from 1970 to 1990 with sparse documentation from pre-1970 and post-2000. These files document some of Anderson’s creative processes for his published works including the children’s book Songs from the Mifflinger Sea and A Little Cove of Nonsense, as well as unpublished materials. His collection includes poems, lectures, correspondence, research papers, student work, newspaper clippings, and audio visual materials. Highlights include drafts of some of his most prominent writings such as Reflections on the I Ching and Self-Transformation and the Oracular, in addition to correspondence concerning the publication of his dialogues with Jiddu Krishnamurti, A Wholly Different Way of Living. The collection consists of five series: Personal Papers (1949-1994), Published and Unpublished Writings (1963-2010), Krishnamurti (1958-2003), San Diego State University Public Lectures (1966-1988), San Diego State University Philosophy and Religious Studies Departments (1964-1993).

The Personal Papers (1949-1994) consist of four sub-series, Correspondence (1969-1974), Graduate and Doctoral Coursework (1956-1960), Jeannette Anderson (circa 1970’s), and Notes and Consultations (1949-1994). The Correspondence sub-series contains letters to friends and organizations, while the Graduate and Doctoral Coursework sub-series is compiled of papers and theses written by Anderson for his graduate and doctoral programs.  The Jeannette Anderson sub-series contains interviews conducted for The Good Life by Jeannette Anderson, a wife of Allan Anderson. Finally, the Notes and Consultations sub-series encompasses a range of materials from a drawing of a broad-nosed crocodile drawn by Anderson in 1949, to I-Ching oracles and accounts of dreams. Materials are arranged alphabetically within their sub-series.

The Published and Unpublished Writings (1963-2010) series is divided into eight sub-series, Poetry (n.d.), Essays and Presentations (1967-1997), Lectures (1968-1980), Books and Manuscripts (n.d.), Notes and References (n.d.), Critiques and Reviews (1963-1992), Forwards and Prefaces (n.d.), and Articles, Journals and Newsletters (1977-2003). The Poetry sub-series contains several sub-sub-series: Poetry by Title, Poetry by Subject, and Drafts and Revisions, and the materials are most commonly of religious and spiritual themes corresponding to Dr. Anderson’s professional work as a religious studies professor. Revised originals of his most recent publication, Songs from the Mifflinger Sea and A little cove of Nonsense, and their accompanying audio and visual materials, can also be found within Drafts and Revisions. The second sub-series, Essays and Presentations, contains copies of papers submitted by Anderson to The International Foundation for New Human Paradigms in Guadalajara, Mexico, and some shorter meditations on religion and philosophical subjects. The Lectures sub-series includes copies and transcripts of lectures and sermons given by Anderson. The fourth sub-series, Books and Manuscripts, includes drafts of the creative process for some of Dr. Anderson’s published and unpublished works of religious thought and fiction, such as The Owl and the Pussy-Cat: Plain Talk on Self-Change, and The Pool, an unpublished novel. The Notes and References sub-series documents Anderson's creative processes on a wide range of spiritual and philosophical subjects. Critiques and Reviews is mainly composed of reviews by Anderson for other authors in his field, with some correspondence with editors. The Forwards and Prefaces sub-series is similarlarly composed of introductions by Anderson for books written by his colleagues. Articles, Journals and Newsletters is a sub-series composed of published materials relating to Anderson's work in religion and spirituality such as the Friends of Jung Newsletter and Inner Directions Journal, both of which featured presentations by Anderson in their publications. Materials are arranged alphabetically within their sub-series.

The J. Krishnamurti (1958-2003) series mainly documents correspondence between Dr. Anderson and the Krishnamurti Foundation regarding his dialogues with Jiddu Krishnamurti in A Wholly Different Way of Living. This series also contains addresses made by Anderson about Krishnamurti and a manuscript of The Kitchen Chronicles: 1001 Lunches with J. Krishnamurti by Michael Krohnen. Materials are arranged alphabetically within this series.

The San Diego State University Public Lectures (1966-1988) series contains records of presentations by Dr. Anderson at SDSU, and includes several highlights such as Patience: The Spiritual Warrior's Virtue from the SDSU Philosophy Colloquium and On the Nature of Religious Language from the Humanities Division Lecture Series. Materials are arranged alphabetically within this series.

The San Diego State University Philosophy and Religious Studies Departments (1964-1993) series is divided into four sub-series, Course Materials (1970-1981), Student Lecture Notes (1964-1983), Student Coursework (1978-1993), and Department and Faculty Materials (1966-1988). The Course Materials sub-series contains references and materials used by Dr. Anderson in his religious studies courses at San Diego State, some of which were written by him specifically for the courses. The Student Lecture Notes sub-series contains notes and transcriptions by students regarding Dr. Anderson's lectures. This sub-series also includes tape recordings of lectures in 1977, which are arranged chronologically. They have been digitized, and are available in virtual folders. The digitized lectures are physically housed on CDs, which are listed in the finding aid above their corresponding tapes as items. The Student Coursework sub-series includes student writing assignments with annotations and recorded class lectures by Dr. Anderson while teaching at SDSU, and focus on the analysis of religious writings such as those used in Christianity, Taoism, and the use of I-Ching hexagrams. The Religious Studies Department and Faculty Materials sub-series is mainly composed of inter-departmental correspondence on faculty and courses, and includes a humorous letter on the usage of ‘FERP’ in the department. Materials are arranged alphabetically within their sub-series.