The William C. Hays collection spans the years 1894-1962, documenting his career as a practicing architect and educator. Textual records include correspondence, handwritten notes, specifications, lecture notes, exams and quizzes, articles and reports. The records also contain architectural drawings, framed illustrations, photographs, slides, and some students’ work. The collection is organized into five series: Personal Papers, Professional Papers, Faculty Papers, Project Records, and University of California.

A large portion of Hays’ records concern housing and dormitory planning for several University of California campuses, including Berkeley, Davis, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz. Hays participated in many aspects of the creation of new dormitories, including finding locations and designing the buildings. Other documents include notes about the historical plan for the UC Berkeley campus and correspondence regarding the future plan for the campus. Much of the collection is comprised of photostat reproductions of original correspondence and clippings.