This accession contains office files of Wayne Shell, former head of the school of fisheries at Auburn University. Many of the files contain research for Shell's book on the history of the AU school of fisheries, which he completed in 2017. One box, for which access is closed, contains draft sections of the book along with notes and also vitae containing personally identifiable information.

The collection consists of three accessions. The first accession contains research materials related to the career of Dr. E. Wayne Shell, as well as materials related to Shell's book Evolution of the Alabama Agroecosystem. The second accession contains photographs and a news booklet related to Clive V. Shell, Wayne's father, who was involved in the Alabama poultry industry. The third accession contains research materials on the history of the school of fisheries at Auburn University.