The collection is composed of chapbooks printed by the famous Mexican publisher and printer Antonio Vanegas Arroyo from 1880-1925. Chapbooks in the collection consist of small, printed paper booklets, usually illustrated with a woodcut drawing on the cover, and occassionally containing illustrations throughout the book as well.

Chapbooks produced by Arroyo document a variety of subjects related to popular Mexican culture, including literature, poems, folk songs, plays, religious tracts, and healthcare advice.