Fonds consists of records relating to the academic and professional life of Iris Garland, and in part to her personal life. Activities, topics, and events documented include Garland’s establishment of SFU’s dance program; course development and instruction, including early telelearning education; independent and university choreography work; university and dance community service; presentations and writing; education and employment; and some of her early life. Records include notes, course syllabi, copies of clippings and reviews, performance programmes, reports, proposals, publications, correspondence, photographic materials, and sound and moving image recordings.

Fonds is arranged into 10 series:

1. Personal records
2. Teaching records
3. SFU dance program history and development
4. SFU dance workshops and productions
5. Choreography records
6. Correspondence
7. Writing
8. Conference and professional affiliation records
9. Grant files
10. Special media

Series consists of records relating to Iris Garland’s active involvement in the establishment and development of SFU’s contemporary dance program, as well as her support for the creation of an academic, credited fine and performing arts program at the University. The series also includes records documenting the history of the dance program in the context of the local dance scene and other post-secondary dance programs, as well as records pertaining to the Burnaby Mountain Dance Company and the Off-Centre Dance Company, both offshoots of the SFU program. Records include reports, proposals, copies of clippings and reviews, notes, correspondence, performance programmes, and background literature.