The papers of American novelist Don DeLillo consist of manuscripts and related materials for most of his novels, plays, short fiction and non-fiction works, his professional and personal correspondence files, as well as a collection of published versions of his short works. The collection is arranged in three series: I. Works, 1971-2003 (92 boxes); II. Correspondence, 1959-2003 (28 boxes), and III. Publications, 1960-2003 (4 periodical boxes).

Series I. Works makes up the bulk of the collection and is divided into three subseries: Subseries A. Full-Length Novels and Plays; Subseries B. Short Works; and Subseries C. Career-Related. The works are arranged alphabetically by title in each subseries; materials for individual works, in turn, are generally arranged in creation order. Subseries A. includes notes, research materials, multiple typescript drafts, and proofs, along with associated editorial correspondence and reviews for DeLillo's novels (and excerpts) through 2003: (1980); (1971); (2001); (2003); (1972); (1973); (1988); (1991); (1982); (1976); (1978); (1997); and (1985). Research materials for the novels range from dozens upon dozens of news clippings to pamphlets on nuclear fallout to airline emergency procedure booklets. This subseries also includes manuscripts and related production and performance materials for DeLillo's plays (1986), (1979), and (1999), as well as a screenplay, .

The Short Works in Subseries B. are both fiction and non-fiction, and include short stories, a novella, playlets, articles, and essays, as documented through correspondence, drafts, and proofs. Subseries C. contains Career-Related materials such as papers regarding a conference held for translators who worked on ; materials demonstrating DeLillo's support for Salman Rushdie; and ephemera connected to the Jerusalem Prize that was awarded to DeLillo in 1999.

While some editorial correspondence is located in the Works series, a substantial amount of DeLillo's correspondence with his editors is found in Series II. Correspondence. The sizeable correspondence files that make up this series are arranged in three subseries, matching DeLillo's original filing system: A. Alphabetical Files, B. Professional Correspondence, and C. Chronological Files. The Alphabetical Files contain large runs of correspondence from a few individuals such as Gordon Lish, Tom Grimes, and Frank Lentrrichia. There are few instances of outgoing correspondence from DeLillo in the collection, but among the notable exceptions are exchanges between DeLillo and fellow authors Jonathan Franzen and David Foster Wallace concerning and the art of writing. Other prominent correspondents include Nelson Algren, Paul Auster, Russell Banks, Ann Beattie, Harold Brodkey, Robert Coover, Frederick Exley, Norman Mailer, Rick Moody, and Philip Roth.

The Professional Correspondence in Subseries B. includes letters concerning DeLillo's published works, mainly from his editors and translators, but also from those interested in film and theatrical versions of his works. There are many pieces of correspondence between DeLillo and his longtime editor Nan Graham, as well as his agent, Lois Wallace. There is an interesting selection of correspondence concerning the translation of DeLillo's works, made up of jocular notes between DeLillo and the translators, as well as many lists of the precise meaning of the vernacular of his characters and prose. These lists were generally written as responses to a translator's specific questions from the text.

The Chronological Files in Subseries C., beginning in 1971 and continuing through 2003, consist primarily of fan mail. However, there are also many letters from friends of DeLillo and his wife, Barbara, as well as copies of responses written by DeLillo.

Series III. Publications includes four boxes of periodicals which contain the published texts of DeLillo's shorter works. These publications range from to and contain articles, essays, short stories, and playlets by DeLillo.

Audio and video recordings, as well as books received with the papers were transferred to appropriate departments within the Ransom Center.

In the following folder list, DeLillo's own identifications of manuscripts and drafts, when available, have been used and appear in quotation marks.