The David Hovde Civil War Tract Collection contains the personal tract collection of David Hovde, which he used to further his research on publications from the American Tract Society, the American Sunday School Union, the American Bible Society, and similar nonprofit organizations. Materials are divided into four series: Soldiers and Sailors, Educational Materials, Organizations, and Realia and organized by the sizes of envelopes in series.

The Soldiers and Sailors series, consists of mainly tracts approximately from 1830 to 1877 for education or religious edification of soldiers and sailors from philanthropic organizations, such as the U.S. Christian Commission and the American Tract Society. Including bibles and hymn books, tracts are published around 4.25 × 6.87 inches to fit in pockets. The contents of tracts are not only spiritual and moral, but also informational. For instance, Soldier's Friend from the U.S. Sanitary Commission contains their principles, hymns, a soldier's pay table, and useful information for sick and wounded soldiers and their families. Soldiers' Almanac includes the timetable of eclipses, sun rise, sun set, moon rise and set and advertisements of stores which are not commonly included in tracts. Because the majority of materials have similar content as hymn books for soldiers, hymns books come first and books which have 'soldier' and 'sailor' in the title come next. The books written for soldiers and sailors but not including those target words are last. In Each section, books are organized in alphabetical order. Modern reprinted tracts are included.

The Educational Materials series contains tracts and books aimed toward school children from the American Sunday School Union, the American Bible Society, Massachusetts Sabbath-School Union and similar organizations. The books, including various stories with illustrations for instructive and religious purposes, were published approximately from 1830 to 1864. The books such as United States Primer are seen as teaching materials for fundamental knowledge such as English alphabet, vocabulary, roman numbers, addition, multiplication and cursive. Included in the collection is The Happy African to Which Is Added the Grateful Servant and The Burman Slave Girl and Other Books for Children and Youth, which contain racist language and content. Materials are alphabetically arranged. Modern reprinted tracts are included.

The Organizations series features annual reports, a few envelopes, tracts that are not directly related to soldiers, sailors and children and non-published materials from several nonprofit organizations through 1859 to 1869. How to Become a Christian by Rev. Henry Ward Beecher is included. Materials are organized Alphabetically by name of organizations.

The Realia series consists of a communication correspondence from Quartermaster's Office on July 9, 1868, Newspaper Southern Confederacy on March 22, 1868, and newspapers the Christian Banner on 1863 and 1865 that published by the American Tract Society.