The Mary Jane Odell papers date from 1936 to 2002 and measure 2 linear feet. They are organized in six series: Personal, Television, Secretary of State, Newspaper clippings, Speeches, and Photographs. Much of the collection documents Odell's professional work from the 1960s through the 1980s. The Personal series includes biographical information, high school and college scrapbooks, and descriptions of awards Odell received in recognition of her professional achievements. The biographical folders include research on Odell's family roots going back five generations. The correspondence folder includes mail from fans of Odell's television programs as well as notes from Republican political leaders including Nelson Rockefeller, George H.W. Bush, and Charles Percy. In John Odell's folder are several poems he wrote for her. The volunteer folder documents Odell's work for the Easter Seal Society of Iowa and LAGBRAI (Libraries' Annual Great Book Read Across Iowa). The Television series holds memos, scripts, and publicity from the three major networks Odell worked for-KRNT Des Moines, WSNS Chicago, and IPBN Des Moines. This series documents Odell's controversial resignation from IPBN in 1979 including her letter of resignation, the response from the station, letters of support she received from viewers, and editorial comments from Iowa newspapers. The series includes articles from both scholarly and popular sources discussing issues such as violence on television and the impact of television on shaping gender roles. Also included is Odell's 1975 Emmy awarding winning interview with Leon Jaworski and a 2005 Living in Iowa interview with Odell. The Secretary of State series documents two major controversies that occurred during Odell's tenure: questions over Harold Hughes' elibigility to run for governor in 1982, and the battle between the state legislature and state officers (Secretary of State, Treasurer, and Auditor) over office space in the Capitol. Odell's records include the legal papers from the Hughes eligibility question, and historical research on a past dispute over office space in the Capitol building. The series also includes the testimony Odell prepared to deliver at the confirmation hearings of Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork, whom she opposed. Odell was cut from the list, however, and her testimony was never delivered. A law journal article written by Bork is also in the file. A file of miscellaneous documents includes press releases, correspondence, programs from conferences Odell attended or spoke at, and a letter Odell wrote to a friend describing a visit she had from her former boss at IPBN in which he was seeking her support. The Newspaper clippings date from Odell's years as radio and television host (1953-1979) and from her tenure as Iowa Secretary of State (1980-1987). These articles offer an in-depth look into Odell's career and accomplishments. The Speeches series contains the texts of many of the speeches Odell gave throughout her career both in television and as secretary of state. Odell's interest in politics is evident in speeches she gave prior to becoming secretary of state because they address topics such as the First Amendment and the war in Vietnam. As secretary of state, Odell addressed a wide range of groups including the Iowa Women's Political Caucus, various chambers of commerce, the Iowa Federation of Republican Women, and the Buxton Cultural and Recognition Banquet. Also included are the roasts Odell gave to both Des Moines Register columnist Donald Kaul and Iowa governor Robert Ray. The Photographs series consists primarily of four folders of photos with Odell and many of the individuals she interviewed throughout her career, including many well-known political figures, entertainment personalities, authors, and artists from the 1950s through 1970s, including an autographed photo of her 1975 interview with President Ford. Most of the people in these photos are identified. There is a folder from Odell's tenure as Secretary State with photos of her at various state functions with political figures of the time. Also included is an album of snapshots of family and friends taken in the late 1930s and early 1940s.