The IRSC Collection documents the geographic border region of Mexico and the United States, with special emphasis on the area between Baja California and California, and also extends to border regions around the world.  It dates from approximately 1959 to 2004, with the bulk of documents generated during the1980s and 1990s. Most of the collection was formed as a result of funded research on specific projects. Director Paul Ganster contributed some materials he brought with him from the University of California at Los Angeles, and some significant additional materials from his personal collection. The IRSC Collection is particularly strong in its coverage of environmental issues ranging from environmentally sound industry to fisheries and marine life, and economic issues ranging from agriculture and industry to tourism.  The myriad factors influencing these sectors, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement, peso devaluation, Mexican labor policies, and United States immigration policies are also documented in the collection.  Less numerous is documentation of language, culture, and recreation. Organizations represented in the collection include but are not limited to those of the Border Trade Alliance, the International History Fair, the San Diego Association of Governments, the Border Governors Conference, the Border XXI process, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the Commission of the Californias, the Southwest Border Regional Commission, and the United States Commission for Border Development and Friendship (US-CODAF).

Materials in this collection are largely textual, and include government and non-governmental organization reports, periodicals, newsletters, newspaper clippings, research studies, academic papers, correspondence, meeting minutes, legal records, conference materials, and teaching guides. Non-textual documents include photographic prints and slides, documentary films (in VHS format), ink stamps, audio cassettes, compact discs, award ribbons, and floppy discs. The IRSC Collection has been organized into five series.  The Border Trade Alliance Files series is sealed until June 1, 2017.  The remaining four series are currently open for research: Research Subject Files, Clipping Files, International History Fair Files, and Audio-Visual Materials.

The Research Subject Files document numerous border-related issues including agriculture, air quality, immigration, governmental policy recommendations and analysis, manufacturing, binational trade, sustainable economic development, statistical data, transportation, and water resources. The IRSC collected these documents primarily for the investigative purposes of students and faculty who needed access to a consolidated body of records, information, and studies on United States-Mexico border area matters.  The series is largely comprised of textual documents collected from outside agencies in the course of interacting with the IRSC, and so they also document the IRSC's role in the study of border relations.  Materials in the collection include reports, research studies, bulletins, magazines, promotional materials, newsletters, newspaper clippings, and resource books, inventories, audio cassettes, and CDs.  The series is organized in a local classification system by broad subject [see Appendix A, p. 41].

The Clipping Files provide social context, offer an historical framework, and situate research materials alongside contemporary news events in the border region.  IRSC staff collected the clippings, which date from 1979-2004.  The series is arranged into two subseries: 1) Newspaper Clippings and 2) Bulletins, Journals, Newsletters, Reports, and Statistics. This series documents the IRSC's vigorous monitoring of the border region throughout research center existence.  The first subseries is organized alphabetically by subject, and chronologically within each subject. The contents of the second subseries were generated by various institutions concerned with the border region, illuminate institutional priorities coinciding with the research materials and also evidence of the IRSC's persistent monitoring of the region. The second subseries is separated into single-issue publications and multi-issue publications, and filed alphabetically by publication title.

The International History Fair Files document the IRSC's involvement with the International History Fair, a binational educational fair that was held annually from 1982 until 1991. The series consists of two subseries: 1) Working Files and 2) History Fair Audio-Visual Materials. The series was compiled during the course of History Fair preparations, promotion, and events, and is comprised of correspondence, student applications, teacher materials, conference outlines, budgets, books, brochures, flyers, and audio-visual materials.  These documents track, record, and reference those activities and indicate IRSC involvement and support of the History Fair. The Working Files are arranged chronologically by year, for example 1982-83, 1983-84, and alphabetically by broad subject within each year. The History Fair Audio-Visual Materials are arranged alphabetically.

The Audio-Visual Materials supplement the research materials and evidence continued by the IRSC's concentration on United States – Mexico border and related topics.  They are divided into two subseries: 1) VHS Cassettes and 2) Slide Carousels. The first subseries, comprised of VHS cassettes, are primarily documentary films, ranging in topic from the international history fair to border economies. They are arranged alphabetically. The second subseries, the slide carousels, are arranged as originally received in three slide carousels.