The Praeger Department of Parks survey and photographs date from 1934-1935 and measure 3 linear feet. The Praeger survey, titled "Comprehensive Survey of the Parks and Playgrounds in New York City," documents every park, playground, and gore in New York City at the time of the study, as well as undeveloped land owned by the parks department. The survey and photographs show the parks of New York City on the eve of improvements and development funded by the Works Progress Administration.

For each property, the survey includes a description of the park with location, acreage, state of development, neighborhood population information, proposed improvements to the park, and future development possibilities. Accompanying each park survey is a ledger detailing material, equipment, and labor needs for proposed improvements, as well as an architectural drawing of the park and its features. Photographs provide visual documentation of the state of the parks, as well as major thoroughfares near parks. Each image in the collection is identified by park name, neighborhood, and cross streets.

The collection is arranged by borough, then alphabetically by park name. Photographs of Brooklyn parks are available in the library's image database. The collection covers parks in 36 Brooklyn neighborhoods with 231 images.