The Old Main Cornerstone Box collection consists of items taken from the cornerstone box in Old Main on the lower campus of Mankato State Normal School during its construction in 1869. The time capsule includes newspapers, business cards from local businesses, photographs, and university course offering catalogs. Additional items were added to the cornerstone box in 1923 and 1969.

The University Student Publications collection consists of materials produced by students at Minnesota State University, Mankato and its predecessor institutions, beginning in 1888. The collection contains official student publications, requiring approval by the university, the student senate, or pubUcations board. The collection is divided into four series: Creative Arts Magazines, News Publications, Correspondence, and Yearbooks.