The Joshua Phippen paper document his career as a composer, pianist, and organist in Winchester, Massachusetts. The collection is divided into four series.

Series I. Personal and Biographical Papers includes programs and newspaper clippings, lists of compositions, publicity on some of his artist friends, and a scrapbook containing newspaper clippings (1879-1903 and 1930).

Series II. Joshua Phippen Compositions includes published music (1894-1901), manuscript music (1873-1937), some undated music, and manuscripts of his Piano Concerto in C minor, which was awarded first prize in a New York competition. For a complete list of the published works of Joshua Phippen's manuscript music (arranged chronologically), see Appendix I.

Series III. Joshua Phippen Arrangements includes arrangements and transcriptions of music by other composers for various combinations of instruments. These are all in manuscript form. Music of several composers appears on one sheet of music and is listed by the name of the first composer on the sheet. The Lalo Intermezzo from the Cello Concerto, Rubenstein's Four Songs arranged for string trio, Wagner's Siegfried Idyll, lyrics for an anthem by Joshua Phippen, "Bow Down Thine Ear," and various arrangements for clarinet in B flat were received in individual envelopes and have been retained in this same arrangement for this collection. See Appendix I for a complete list of Phippen's arrangements and transcriptions, which have been arranged alphabetically by the original composer's name.

Series IV. Other Composers consists of published piano, instrumental and vocal music. A complete list of these works will be found in Appendix II, also arranged alphabetically by the original composer's name. This series is divided into two subseries: Piano and Instrumental and Vocal.