The Patricia Hillard papers date from 1963 to 2001 and measure 20.5 linear feet. Most of the papers document her work as the Western U.S. Division Director of La Leche League International. The complex structure of the organization is reflected in the many series of La Leche League International records that comprise the bulk of this collection. Two series, Biographical Information and Photographs, contain more personal material about Hillard. The remaining sixteen series of LLLI records are arranged alphabetically: Administrative, Area conferences, Area Coordinator of Leaders (ACL), Areas, Conferences, Correspondence, Division Director, Financial Records, Human Relations Enrichment (HRE), Other Divisions, Professional Liaison Department (PLD), Programs, Publications, Publicity, Regional Administrators (RA),and Resource and Development (R and D). La Leche League International organizational charts and acronym guides are provided at the beginning of the Administrative series in Box 1.

The Biographical Information series contains information documenting Patricia Hillard's involvement with La Leche League International, newspaper clippings about her home birth experiences, and funeral programs. The Photographs series (1979-1993) contains Hillard family photographs, along with photographs from La Leche League International meetings and conferences.

The La Leche League International Administrative series (1969-1997) contains materials related to the board of directors, district advisors, the lactation consultant department, legal issues, organizational policies, and the Leader Accreditation Department (LAD). The Leader Accreditation Department was formerly called the Leader Applicant Department. The "Lactation Consultant Series" is not complete; it is missing issues #6, 9, 10, 11, 13, and 15. The LAD memos are also called "LAD News," " LAD Perspective," and "LAD Communique."

The reference files contain photocopies of the covers of breastfeeding and childbirth books used by Patricia Hillard. The books themselves are shelved in the Iowa Women's Archives printed works collections. The covers of other books used by Hillard, but not retained by the Archives, have also been photocopied. These include childbirth books already owned by the University of Iowa Libraries and parenting books not directly related to La Leche League International.

Some of the pamphlets in the miscellaneous reference materials folder include: "International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes," published by the World Health Organization in 1981; "White Paper on Infant Feeding Practices," published in 1974 by the Center for Science in the Public Interest and sponsored by the Citizens' Committee on Infant Nutrition; and "The Uniqueness of Human Milk," proceedings from a symposium by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 1971.

The La Leche League International Area Conferences (ACFS) series (1978-1991) consists of materials from area conferences held in the U.S. Western Division, including notes and handouts on various panel discussions. The Area Coordinator of Leaders (ACL) series (1976-1991) consists of correspondence, newsletters, and reports. The Areas series (1970-1997) contains materials relating to all the states in the U.S. Western Division and are arranged alphabetically by state. Some areas consist of more than one state, such as Arkansas/Oklahoma. The files on New Mexico contain information on working with the Women, Infants, Children (WIC) program.

The Conferences series (1971-1991) contains materials from La Leche League International conferences held every two years. The conferences were originally called conventions. The series includes souvenir booklets, correspondence, and handouts from pre-conference sessions, as well as audio recordings of speeches given at the 1971 and 1981 conference. The 1971 audio recording includes a speech given by Princess Grace of Monaco at the conference banquet. Transcripts from the 1971 conference consist of panel discussions on "The Scope of La Leche League" and "Mothers Ask."

The bulk of the La Leche League International Correspondence series (1979-1997) dates from 1990-1991. Letters written among the staff are lengthy and contain information concerning the internal workings of La Leche League, as well as their family life. The Division Director series (1977-1997) contains Hillard's correspondence as Western U.S. Division Director, as well as meeting materials, newsletters, and reports. There are no division director reports for 1986. The series also contains records from the previous Western U.S. Division Director, Joan Richardson.

The Financial Records series (1981-1992) contains budget materials, information on the group's Second Founding drive, and correspondence. The Human Relations Enrichment (HRE) series (1974-1995) contains La Leche League International teaching outlines, newsletters, correspondence, and publications, such as the Human Relations Workbook. The Other Divisions series (1976-1993) consists of materials from the Eastern U.S. and Around the World Divisions such as correspondence and newsletters.

The Professional Liaison Department (PLD) series (1980-1993) contains newsletters, correspondence, reports, and information on continuing education for health professionals. The Programs series (1985-1996) contains information on various activities in which La Leche League International participated, including walk-a-thons, Young Children Priority One, breastfeeding classes, and volunteer programs. The Young Children Priority One program was a joint effort between La Leche League International and Kiwanis. The series also contains a video from a Continuing Area Resource Enrichment (CARE) workshop of a panel discussion on the relationship between the Area Professional Liaison (APL) and the Area Leaders' Letter Editor ( ALLE). The Publications series (1968-1999) contains newsletters, calendars, and books published by La Leche League International, along with the journals Leaven and New Beginnings. The series also contains six copies of The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding: four printings of the second edition and one each of the third and fourth editions. The 1990 calendar is missing.

The Publicity series (1971-1997) contains newspaper clippings, press releases, television segments on extended nursing, a research study on physicians' attitudes toward La Leche League International, and materials for speaking engagements to groups outside of LLLI. The research study was commissioned jointly by LLLI and Proctor and Gamble. The newspaper clippings include an article on Princess Grace of Monaco describing her support of breastfeeding and La Leche League International. The video recording on extended nursing contains three television segments: "Northwest Afternoon" featuring Betty Freeman, the "HOME" show featuring Jay Gordon, and a segment from the "Jerry Springer" television show featuring, among others, Mary Lofton, an LLLI representative, Peggy O'Meara, editor of Mothering Magazine, and Denise Perrigo, a mother whose daughter was taken away from her because she practiced extended nursing.

The Regional Administrators (RA) series (1980-1993) consists of correspondence, reports, information regarding the regional alignment of the Western U.S. Division of La Leche League International, and materials relating to searches for new regional administrators. The Resource and Development (R and D) series (1975-1991) contains grant proposals, materials on fundraising, and a survey on funding development.