The microfilms are copies of the 1851 and 1861 decennial nominal census for Peterborough County and parts of Prescott and Prince Edward Counties. Also included (reel 4) is the 1851 census for the Townships of Minden, Stanhope, and Dysart.

The microfilms are copies of the decennial nominal census for Peterborough County from 1871. The microfilm also includes census records for parts of Northumberland East, Prince Edward and Hastings Counties.

The 15 microfilm reels from the Department of Lands and Forests holdings contain field survey notes for most townships in southern Ontario dating from 1784 to 1945. The handwritten guide to the survey notes was prepared by students in a geography course at Trent University. This guide is available in the Reading Room.