Series 1: Administrative Files, 1977-2016, represents the bulk of written material in the collection. The series consists of correspondence, handbooks, and general administrative material pertaining to the Marching Royal Dukes. Also included are logistical files on various trips the Marching Royal Dukes participated in, both domestic and abroad.

Staff material represents higher-level management information that is used to operate the program from the top. Materials such as annual service reports, correspondence, drill, MRD Leadership Handbooks, press releases, and uniform orders represent such information. Such material represents accurately what information was to be conveyed and taught to student members and how the process operated on a yearly basis. These materials show how the MRDs operated from an instructor's position and how the program responded to internal and external influences in its management and teaching style. Examples of interesting staff material include letters from Congressman Bob Goodlatte and various other political representatives, and hand-drawn ideas for new MRD uniforms in the uniform orders material.

Membership material is represented in the series by folders such as the MRD Handbooks, Pre-Season Mailings, Music and Scores, and Band Banquet programs. These materials indicate important general information for the student members of the MRDs such as behavior policy, professional expectations, the learning process, and instrumentation section-related material such as music and section policies. Examples of interesting membership material includes: evolving complexity and integration of technological requirements such as the smart phone app DrillBook Next shown in the pre-season mailings, Band Banquet programs recognizing upper-classman membership in the band, and full instrumentation scores of traditional MRD pieces such as the JMU Fight Song, Get It On, Salvation is Created, the JMU Alma Mater, and Start Wearing Purple.

A bulk of the Administrative Files is made up by travel-related files. These files show the logistical planning and organizing that were needed to facilitate the MRD's travel needs. The travel files include itineraries, travel rosters, agreement forms, maps, brochures, trip-specific correspondence, and logistical material for the organization of such events. The folders that contain these are marked as Trip Files and include the travel to locations and venues, both domestic and abroad, such as Athens, Dublin, Macy's Thanksgiving Parades, Monaco, London, Governor's Inaugurations, and the Presidential Inaugurations of Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush.

Series 2: Ephemera, 1975-2016, consists of general ephemeral material relating to the Marching Royal Dukes and its members and staff. The bulk of the series is made up of programs and articles pertaining to former director of the MRDs, Pat Rooney. The programs come from clinics and honor bands which Rooney led, spoke, or taught at. Such clinics and honor bands include, The All American Marching Band, Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA), Virginia Band and Orchestra Directors Association (VBODA), Nebraska Honor Band, and various state and area bands from across the nation.

There also includes a general Assorted Ephemera folder which includes several items of interest from or relating to the MRDs and the JMU music department. These items include issues of the Music Rhapsody (an internal JMU music department newsletter), programs from various performances of the MRDs and other ensembles such as the JMU Concert Band and Wind Symphony, awards given to the MRDs and JMU Pep Band, a mockup of the MRD European Tour CD cover, concert posters, and a bumper sticker bearing former assistant director Chad Reep's name sold by MRD members.

Event buttons and pins are stored in a folder which consists of four commemorative pins for events in which the MRDs participated. These commemorate participation in the 1994 Sudler Trophy Award Ceremony, the Monaco 1998 New Year's Celebration, and the 82nd and 87th Macy's Thanksgiving Parades.

Included in the series is a folder of material removed from a scrapbook commemorating the awarding of the Sudler Trophy to the MRDs in 1994. The material remains in its original order. The material included consists of photographs, news articles, quotes, certificates, event scripts, programs, press releases, and correspondence directly related to or referring to the awarding of the Sudler Trophy. An item of note is a correspondence from the White House regarding an invitation to President Clinton to the Sudler Trophy Ceremony.

Stored in a letter-sized half Hollinger box is apparel. The apparel is made up of three articles of clothing: one hat and two T-shirts. The hat commemorates participation in the 1997 Presidential Inauguration of Bill Clinton which the MRDs participated in. One t-shirt is a black band membership shirt dated 2012 with the MRD logo on the front left breast and the quote "Virginia's Finest" on the back. The second t-shirt is a purple student leadership shirt dated 2013 featuring the MRD logo on the front left breast and the word "Staff" on the back.

Some ephemeral material has been documented digitally due to storage concerns and returned to the donor. This material primarily consisted of plaques and various decorative awards given the MRDs and JMU Pep Band through their history. Digital surrogates can be made available upon request.

Series 3: Photographs, 1975-2016, consists of photographic material of or relating to the Marching Royal Dukes, its members, and administrative team. The photographs document performances, practices, and out-of-class experiences of MRD members. The bulk of the photographs primarily document the Pat Rooney years of the band, 1982-2007. There is, however, a folder documenting a small amount of pre-1982 material and folders lightly documenting post-2007. Also included in the series are four folders of loose negatives that were unpaired with developed photographs during processing dating 1980-1999 and undated. There also exists in the series a group of four folders of photographic slides dating 1981, 1985, 1987, and undated.

The majority of the images represent the band during pre-season band camp, performances, and practice sessions, both candid and posed. Several folders have full-field photographs of drill formations and practice blocks. An example of nearly set-by-set drill photographs is housed in the 1992 folders in the form of proofs by Jolesch Photography when the MRDs performed at an Indianapolis Colts game in the RCA Dome.

There are instances of instrumentation section photographs representing the flute/piccolo, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, tuba, trombone, baritone, mellophone, and percussion sections as well as the JMU Dukettes, Color Guard, and Drum Majors. While there are scattered examples of such group photographs throughout the series, the most complete and comprehensive selection of section photographs is stored in the 1990 and 1992 folders. Such photographs represent the individual members, often in uniform. Because of this, the series well-documents changes in membership numbers, uniform styles, and instrumentation over time.

MRD trips and events such as the Bands of Americas Grand National Championship (1988), the Sudler Award (1994), Monaco (1997/1998), Rome (2014), Macy's Parades (2001, 2008, and 2013), Dublin (2004), and the annual Parade of Champions are documented in dated and undated folders. The event photographs include in the undated section are Parade of Champions photographs or performances in unconfirmed locations and/or times not in normal MRD venues of performance.

Another well-documented subject in the series is the JMU Summer Band Camp, an annual summer event in which MRD members volunteered to instruct various marching methods and procedures to high school students. This event was thoroughly photographed in 1986, 1987, and 1988 consisting of hundreds of photographs.

The Undated folders represent 22 folders and roughly half of material of the series. These photographs have been arranged in folders by physical size for ease of access and visibility. The content of the images ranges from performance, candid practice, and out-of-class candid. Performance and practice photographs represent drill formations and members learning new material on the field, representing the program in a professional setting. The candid photographs are more casual and represent individuals more accurately. Some examples of candid photographs include photographs of staff members such as Pat Rooney running rehearsal or speaking to members, Halloween practices in which band members are dressed in costume, and Tau Beta Sigma and Kappa Kappa Psi brothers and sisters relaxing at group events or performing services for the band.

The Slides group of folders within the series shows field photographs of drill formations as well as candid photographs dating 1981, 1985, 1987, and undated.

Each folder of photographic slides houses the slides in their original packaging for ease of storage.

Oversize photographs have been moved to the Oversize series for storage purposes. The majority of these photographs are stored in Map Case 1:2. These photographs include images of Macy's Parade 2001, assorted formations, and Walt Disney All American Marching Band group photographs.

All photographs with confirmed paired negatives are stored in their original envelopes for organizational purposes.

Series 4: Media, 1975-2016, consists of 566 pieces of recorded or saved media ranging from LP Records, 3mm tape reel recordings, camcorder tapes, VHS, CD, and DVD from 41 years of the group's existence. The content of the media is primarily audio-video recordings of the Marching Royal Dukes in performance at football games and competitions or professional audio recordings. Also included in the media are recorded performances by the JMU Pep Band, JMU Wind Symphony, and JMU Concert Band. A small portion of the media are administrative files stored on DVD-ROM ranging from 2014-2016. The MRD Official CDs, LPs, and Cassette recordings are also stored with media, ranging from 1983-2011.

This series remains in process. Individual items may be digitized upon request. A complete inventory and detailed descriptions of individual materials is available here .