The library has 10 volumes of grammars, vocabularies, sermons, and other religious writings in the Kaqchikel and K'iche' languages of Guatemala. Several have been studied, notably by Daniel G. Brinton in APS Proceedings 21 (1884): 345, and Nora B. Thompson, "Algunos manuscritos guatemaltecos en Filadelfia", Anales de la Sociedad de Geografia e Historia 23 (1948), Nos. 1 2: p. 3; and all have been described by John F. Freeman, "Manuscript Sources on Latin American Indians," APS Proceedings 10 (1962): 530, and in Freeman's Guide to Manuscripts relating to the American Indian (1966).

This collection includes field notes and reports, diaries of expeditions, texts, grammars, dictionaries of Indian languages, theses and research papers collected by members of the Department of Anthropology of the University of Chicago in connection with the Carnegie Institution of Washington Middle American Research Program as well as various Middle American governmental agencies. A microfilm publication of the University of Chicago, 1946-1957. Table of contents available.