The collection consists of papers of Karsen used in her research on two Latin American poets. Karsen's papers relating to Jaime Torres Bodet (1902-1974), the Mexican minister of education, foreign ambassador, director general (1948-1952) of UNESCO, author and poet, include eighty letters sent by Torres Bodet spanning 1952 to 1974, and copies of her letters sent to him, correspondence of Karsen about Torres Bodet, copies of various poems, articles and speeches by Torres Bodet, bibliographies, and printed reviews, dissertations and articles on Torres Bodet. Karsen's papers relating to the Colombian poet and politican Guillermo Valencia (1873-1943) include copies (transcribed by Karsen) of Valencia's poetry (1897-1943) entitled "Poesias Sueltas," copies of many of his translations into Spanish of various works by Baudelaire, Gautier, Hugo, Rilke, Keats, and others, correspondence (1943-1992) of Karsen about Valencia, photographs, clippings, and reviews of Karsen's book (1951) on Valencia. Other correspondence present includes that of Colombian essayist Baldomero Sanín Cano (1942-1951), Mexican writers José María González de Mendoza and Rafael Solana, and professor and critic Carlos García Prada.

The collection also includes two phonograph records (33 1/3 rpm): Guillermo Valencia reading "Los Gatos" by Baudelaire (undated) and Torres Bodet reading selections of poetry and prose (1960) in a recording made for the "Voz Viva de Mexico" series produced by the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico.