James C. V. Emond's papers were originally arranged in Dewey Decimal system order. While Emond's file titles largely remain intact (some additions being made with materials found loose in the collection), the folders have been rearranged in a generally alphabetical order. Materials relating strictly to Fairlawn Church of Christ have been separated from Emond's research on the surrounding area, thus creating the following two series:

Series I. Fairlawn Church of Christ Research, 1857-1985. This series contains files relating strictly to Fairlawn Church of Christ (Galax, Virginia). Included are correspondence, research notes, and photocopies of records relating to membership, pastors, property, and other aspects of the church's history. The series also contains drafts of Emond's two works on the church's history.

Series II. Contextual Research, 1878-1988. Contained in this series are materials assembled by Emond while conducting broader research into the history and development of Galax, Carroll County, Grayson County, and southwestern Virginia. The series consists largely of newspaper clippings and other printed materials. Some of the files, however, contain original materials donated to or purchased by Emond. Among these are the papers of Braselton B. Frost and Early A. Goodson. The photographs in the series, many dating to the late 19th or early 20th century, also consist of originals. The files cover a broad range of subjects. Particularly strong are files devoted to churches and Galax's Old Fiddlers' Convention. A number of files in the series are devoted to a particular individual or family, with a strong emphasis on the Cooley and Cox families.

Some of the file titles in the collection bear two separate date ranges. These folders contain photocopies or transcriptions of significant original documents and records. The dates in [brackets] refer to the date range of the original items.