Lydia Victoria Swanson was born March 22, 1893, in Aurora, Nebraska, to Anna Dohlstrom and Carl Swanson. Swanson graduated from Aurora High School in 1911. From there she went to a school of agriculture and the University of Nebraska, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree (1923). After 1923, she studied at several different schools under the Laura Spellman Rockefeller Fellowship before finally landing at Iowa State College (University). Swanson graduated from Iowa State with a Master's degree (1931).

Swanson joined the Iowa State teaching staff in 1924, as an instructor in the Department of Household Administration. She became a professor and head of the Childhood Development Department in 1936. She remained head of the department until 1943, when she stepped down to resume normal classroom teaching. While at Iowa State Swanson offered much leadership within her department, and is responsible for the development of most courses offered in the major curriculum of the Childhood Development Department. She retired from Iowa State in 1959.

Swanson was a member of many societies: Omicron Nu, Phi Kappa Phi, Phi Mu, and Psi Chi. She also belonged to several associations: National Council of Parent Education, National Association for Nursery Education, American Home Economics Association, Progressive Education Association, and the National Society of Research in Child Development. Swanson also was a recipient of the Laura Spellman Rockefeller Fellowship and was named Mary B. Welch Distinguished Professor of Home Economics. Her former graduate students also honored her by establishing the Lydia V. Swanson Fellowship.

Swanson died March 13, 1977, in Hastings, Nebraska.

These papers (1927-1977, n.d.) document Lydia V. Swanson's activities as head of the Childhood Development Department. The collection contains newsclippings and biographical information, as well as her lesson plans. Also included is a songbook filled with nursery songs and subject information she used to make her lesson plans.

The collection is arranged alphabetically.