This subseries contains Lally's writing files for published and unpublished works, notecards tracking his published works (1960s to 2009), and files related to his publishing ventures, O Press and Some of Us Press (SOUP). His work files on individual pieces and books typically contain notes, manuscripts, contracts, proofs, publicity, and correspondence, including files for The South Orange Sonnets, Catch My Breath, It Takes One to Know One, and It's Not Nostalgia. These work files also contain larger editing projects, including his work on the anthology None of the Above: New Poets of the USA which included works by L=A=N=G=U=A=G=E poets Ron Silliman, Bruce Andrews, and Ray DiPalma; New York School poets Alice Notley and Joe Brainard; and poets working outside any community association such as Patti Smith. Files containing unpublished loose poems are in this subseries, as well as chronological poetry manuscript books dating from the 1950s through the 1980s, his journals with writing ideas, and Lally's reviews of others' work. This subseries contains files on his first published piece Markings on the Wall including rejection slips, manuscript, and correspondence from the 1960s. Files with his unpublished biographies Loose Canon and Poor Moth Boy in the Moon are in this subseries. Lally's editorial work is also represented through his Franklin Library files and Venice Magazine files, which include photographs by musician Andy Summers.

These approximately 300 small and large circulation newspapers and magazines contain works by Lally which date primarily from the 1960s through the 1980s. Alternative press titles include All You Can Eat (1972), FagRag (1973), The Great Speckled Bird (1970-1971), and literary magazines Blue Suede Shoes (1971), L=A=N=G=U=A=G=E (1978-1980), and Buffalo Stamps (1972). Lally also contributed articles, editorials, reviews, letters, and poems to publications of a radical, political, counter-cultural and/or gay orientation including Campus Underground (1968–1969), Daily Rag (1973), Unicorn Times (circa 1974), Washington Review, (1979-1993, 2001), Washington Review of the Arts (1975-1977), and Woodwind(1972). Issues of Venice Magazine (1988, 1990, 1995) which Lally founded and edited are in this subseries. Black Box, a publication in audiocassette form and which Lally was editor for a time, can also be found in this subseries. The publication, Matchbook, which is 1-word poems contained within real matchbooks is in this subseries.

This subseries contains material related to Michael Lally's performances as a poet, including poetry readings and recorded spoken albums. Contracts, publicity, posters, ephemera, reviews, and audiovisual and digital recordings of Lally's poetry readings and events date from the 1970s to the 2000s. Lally's Poetry in Motion series files contain publicity and planning material related to readings performed by a mix of Hollywood celebrities (Alec Baldwin, Robert Downey, Jr., and Ally Sheedy) and poets (Jack Grapes, Hubert Selby, Jr., and Wanda Coleman) in the 1980s and 1990s in while he was living in Los Angeles. See Series II.C. for correspondence files on this project. Electronic records in this subseries contain poetry reading albums and other event recordings, including Jazzspeak: A Word Collection , Michael Lally: Lost Angels, and Poets Against War. Digital images of a 2004 poetry reading and a digital video recording of a documentary on Hubert Selby, Jr. with a Lally interview are also in this subseries.

This subseries contains correspondence with poets, writers, and colleagues, which often include manuscripts and ephemera. Lally's correspondence documents his involvement with the avante garde L=A=N=G=U=A=G=E poet group during their formative years in the 1960s and 1970s, as well as the poetry communities in Iowa City, Washington, D.C., and New York City. Correspondence is especially extensive with those he collaborated with and published through O Press and Some of Us Press (SOUP) in the 1970s, including Bruce Andrews, Max Blagg, Joe Brainard, Gerald Burns, Tina Darragh, Ray DiPalma, Tim Dlugos, Etheridge Knight, Jerome Sala, and Terence Winch. This series also contains four poster-sized message paintings by Sylvia Schuster.

This subseries contains correspondence dating from the 1970s through the 2000s which had been separated from Lally's manuscript files, specifically relating to the publication of his works through smaller presses. Those correspondents with extensive files include Dennis Cooper with Little Ceasar Press, John and Elaine Gill from The Crossing Press, and George Mattingly from Blue Wind Press and Something Else Press. This subseries also contains a large collection of correspondence, mail art, and manuscripts from Jim Haining of Salt Lick Press, of which Lally's book Catch My Breath was one of the company's best selling works.

A significant portion of this subseries contains edited television show episodes, movie screenplays, and stage plays written, co-written, or script-doctored by Lally, illustrating the many facets of working as a screenwriter in Los Angeles during the 1980s through the 2000s. Notable scripts in which he contributed include the movies Drugstore Cowboy, Fogbound, and Pump Up the Volume. Original works include his autobiographical piece, Fly Boy, a play adapted from his book Hollywood Magic, Chicks With Dicks, and Rhythm of Torn Stars. This subseries also includes posters for Lally's plays Rhythm of Torn Stars and Hollywood Magic; assorted movie and television ideas; and screenplay contracts.

This subseries includes material related to Lally's work as a film, stage, and voice over actor in Los Angeles during the 1980s through the 2000s. Notated movie and television episode actor scripts include Basic Instinct, Cool World, Deadwood, Ed, JAG, Father Dowling Mysteries, Ramona Has Two Lovers, and White Fang. Sound and video recordings in both digital and analog form contain demo reels used for auditions with samples of Lally's appearances in television show episodes and movies, as well as his voice work in advertising commercials. This subseries also contains publicity for movies and television shows, including posters and advertising booklets for Phobia, The Nesting, and Last Rites. This subseries also contains Lally's play programs, call sheets, and acting contracts.

This subseries contains correspondence from friends and colleagues Lally accumulated while living in Los Angeles as an actor, playwright, and screenwriter in the 1980s through the 2000s. Of note are letters from actors Sharon Stone, Carrie Fisher, and Michael O'Keefe. Letters and a 1987 collage Lally by artist Paul Harryn can also be found in this subseries. Poetry written by friends for Lally's 50th birthday is in this subseries. This subseries also contains correspondence for Lally's Poetry in Motion project, which was a spoken word series co-created with Eve Brandstein in 1988. Lally's series brought together poets and Hollywood celebrities including Alec Baldwin, Robert Downey, Jr., Ally Sheedy, and Michael O'Keefe for readings. See Series I.C. for publicity files on this project.

This subseries contains Lally's address books, calendars, and daybooks from 1982 to 2011 which track his daily routine and appointments. Wall calendar pages with illustrations by George Schneeman, and a 1979 Koff calendar with nude photographs of male poets Lally, Charles Bukowski, Bill Berkson, Tom Carey, John Godfrey, and Bill Kushner can also be found in this subseries. Material from Lally's time attending St. Benedict's Preparatory School, Trinity College, and the University of Iowa includes class papers, publications, MFA thesis notes, workshop files, and yearbooks. This subseries also contains documentation of Lally's service in the Air Force in the 1960s, as well as files related to Lally and his first wife Lee's marriage and divorce, dating from the 1960s to the 1990s. Journals and notebooks from 1962 to the 1990s contain vacation diaries, an acting journal, and financial records kept by Lally. Scrapbooks contain juvenilia from Lally's birth and early childhood, clippings, play programs, publicity, and documentation of his political activism in the 1960s. This subseries also includes political posters by Sharon Gregory and political buttons collected by Lally. Clippings and transcripts of interviews profiling Lally date from 1979 to 2011. This subseries also contains files on his grants and awards, resumes, and an original piece of artwork by Lally of friends Ray and Betsi DiPalma from the 1970s.

This subseries contains correspondence from 1966 to 1997 with Lally's friends and family. Correspondence from Lally's first wife Lee while he served in the Air Force describe their courtship and wedding plans, as well as cards and notes after their marriage. Letters from friends to Lee Lally from the 1960s and 1970s kept by Michael Lally are in this series. This subseries also contains letters from Lally's other two wives and his three children. Letters from Lally's parents James and Irene date from 1949 to 1973, sharing news of the family and events in their lives. Correspondence from Lally's siblings are also in this subseries, including letters from 1953-2010 from brother Campion Lally who served as a priest at Franciscan Chapel Center in Japan. A significant portion of the letters from friends in this subseries were sent while Lally was serving in the Air Force in the 1960s.