The Notes subseries contains Kennan's handwritten notes, often from research trips to libraries or archives, as well as photocopies of articles and a small amount of correspondence related to his research. Some of the notes were compiled for lectures he gave, or books or articles he wrote, and others are grouped by research topic. Also included is a microfilmed set of bibliographic cards created during the course of Kennan's research prior to April 5, 1973. Most of the materials are related to Kennan's research on Russian history.

The Published Works subseries contains copies of published materials by Kennan, including articles in scholarly journals, popular magazines and newspapers (notably The New York Times), and addresses and lectures at universities, scholarly organizations, and civic or religious groups. Also included are Congressional testimony on issues related to foreign affairs, book reviews, prefaces and other contributions to works by other authors, and television and radio interviews. In addition, materials for some titles include drafts, copies of reviews of the work, or correspondence from readers or audience members. The most common subject of these writings is Russian history and foreign relations, as well as analysis of current Soviet policies, critical analysis of American foreign policy, and international relations in general, often with a focus on East-West relations or reducing tension in the relations between nations. Other significant topics include the effectiveness of the U.S. Foreign Service and his experiences in the Foreign Service, the Vietnam War, U.S.-Yugoslavia relations during the period in the 1960s when he was the U.S. ambassador, criticism of nuclear weapons and the arms race, and the relationship between Christianity and morality and foreign policy.