Ira Schroeder was born on January 25, 1902, in Blairsburg, Iowa. He graduated in 1923 from the Ellsworth Conservatory in Iowa Falls, Iowa. He received his Bachelors of Music Degree (1927) in piano and theory from the Bush Conservatory in Chicago, Illinois. Schroeder studied the carillon with Harold Simonds of St. Chrysastom and the University of Chicago; and with Percival Price, Dominion carillonneur at the Peace Tower, Houses of Parliament, Ottawa, Canada. He later attended L'Ecole du Carillon Mechelen, Belgium.

After four years on the faculty at the Bush Conservatory, Schroeder came to Iowa State in 1931 and served as Carillonneur (1931-1969) and as an Instructor (1931-1944), Assistant Professor (1944-1949), and as Associate Professor (1949-1969) in the Department of Music. He played the carillon at Iowa State for 38 years, twice a day, Monday through Friday, at 8:00 a.m. and at 1:00 p.m. He also presented numerous special carillon concerts during his time at Iowa State. In addition to his daily performances, Schoreder taught piano and music appreciation at Iowa State. He was named Parade Marshall for the 1961 VEISHEA parade.

The collection (1872-2007, n.d.) contains biographical information, correspondence, news clippings and articles, and research materials about the Campanile at Iowa State University. The collection also contains a scrapbook compiled by Schroeder of printed materials that used a depiction of the Iowa State campanile. These include extension bulletins, covers to Iowa State directories, stationery, athletics programs, and a variety of other materials that use a depiction of the campanile.

The collection is listed alphabetically.