The papers of Hope Hibbard document the particular areas of research that Hope Hibbard conducted as a zoologist. The papers also document her extensive career as a teacher and lecturer in the Department of Zoology at Oberlin College. The papers do not however, document Hibbard's work on the various faculty committees she served on while teaching at Oberlin College. The papers are organized into four distinct series which are: 1. Correspondence; 2. Writings; 3. Zoology Alumni Survey File; and 4. Miscellaneous Material.

Series 1. Correspondence 1891-1983, n.d. (2 folders)

This series is arranged into two subseries: 1. Family Correspondence and 2. General Correspondence. The Family Correspondence subseries consists of letters from various members of Hope Hibbard's family that are either addressed to Hope Hibbard or to another member of her family. Many of the letters addressed to Hope Hibbard were written by Hibbard's father, Herbert Wade, during the time she attended college. There is also correspondence between Mary Davis and Mary Scofield which precedes the birth of Hope Hibbard. The General Correspondence subseries consists primarily of announcement or appointment letters from the various colleges and universities that Hibbard was affiliated with.

Series 2. Writings 1919-1952, n.d. (7 folders)

This series is arranged into two subseries: 1. Speeches and Lectures and 2. Publications. The Speeches and Lectures subseries contain written notes and outlines of speeches and lectures that Hope Hibbard gave at faculty and student conferences, seminars, and various other functions at Oberlin College. Aside from lecture notes and outlines on Hibbard's zoological research, the subseries also contain lecture material pertaining to her thoughts and ideas on her experiences abroad, as well as her ideas and her early pro-feminist stance on the changing roles of women in academia, science, and politics. The Publications subseries contains all of the major writings of Hope Hibbard that were either published or reprinted from various scientific journals. It also includes the two doctoral theses that were authored by Hibbard in the 1920's.

Series 3. Zoology Alumni Survey File 1953-1957, n.d. (13 folders)

This series contains material on a particular survey done by Hope Hibbard, which premise was to gather recent data on Oberlin College alumni who studied zoology. The information given by former students in these questionnaires was then to be used for a future newsletter. Contained in the series are: the sample letter, letters from former zoology students, and the filled-out questionnaires. Arranged alphabetically by last name, the questionnaires contain data such as an alumnist's occupation, professional activities, marital status, and an alumnist's non-occupational interests.

Series 4 Miscellaneous Material, 1916-1988 n.d. (2 folders)

This final series is arranged into two subseries: 1. Biographical material and 2. Photographs. The first subseries contains various local newspaper articles and obituary notices on Hope Hibbard. Included are: a copy of Hibbard's vita, commencement programs, the Hibbard family tree, and an unfinished autobiography. The second subseries consists primarily of black and white and color photographs of Hope Hibbard that were taken both during and after her teaching career at Oberlin College.

The papers of Hope Hibbard were received by Oberlin College in three installments. The first installment ( 0.3 cu. ft) accesssioned in 1981, came from an unknown, unsolicited third party. The 1988 and 1993 installments are accessioned material donated by Hibbard's sister Dr.Jeanne Hibbard Stephens, (b 1911), who resides in Oberlin. None of the accessioned material came directly from Hope Hibbard.

Additional material regarding Hope Hibbard may be found in the following institutional collections: Annual Reports in Secretary's Office (5), Former Faculty and Staff (28), Papers of the Presidents, Ernest Hatch Wilkins (2/7), and William E. Stevenson (2/8), and the Dean of Arts and Sciences (9).