The collection consists of a selection of correspondence of Hays with ten Latin American writers and poets. The correspondents, from Peru, Ecuador, Cuba, Mexico, Chile, and Colombia, include Jorge Andrade Carrera, Nicolas Guillen, Manuel Moreno Jimeno, Lino Novas Calvo, Jose Revueltas, Winett and Pablo de Rokha, Jaime Tello, and Antonio de Underraga. Some letters are addressed to Hays' wife, Julie Hays. Also present are a typescript of an article about the poetry of Jorge Carrera Andrade by Pedro Salinas, and a typescript copy of Antenor Orrego's prologue to Trilce (1922) by Cesar Vallejo. The letters exchange literary information on poetry, authors, publications, and translations as well as touching on social and political issues. Many of the letters concern Hays' research for his anthology 12 Spanish American Poets (1943) and Dudley Fitts' Anthology of Contemporary Latin-American Poetry (1942) for which Hays wrote the biographical and bibliographical notes. There is also one letter by Carrera Andrade to Dudley Fitts and a printed extract of an article by Hays, "La Poesia Actual de Los Estados Unidos."

The following standard abbreviations, or their variations, are used to identify materials in this collection: ALsS = autograph letters signed, TLS = Typewritten Letter Signed, TMs = Typewritten Manuscript.