The Papers are focused principally on Laderman's prolific career as a composer. Virtually all of his compositions are held in the collection, including chamber music, orchestral works, operas and musicals, oratorios and cantatas, and scores for film and television. The collection contains many sketches and drafts, which give insight into Laderman's compositional process. The collection also contains a significant number of reel-to-reel recordings of Laderman's works.