Visit the Giamatti Research Center

Researchers are allowed access to the collection via the Giamatti Research Center. Appointments are preferred, but drop-in visitors may be accommodated as resources allow. Scheduling an appointment before visiting is highly encouraged. We prefer at least two weeks advance notice for anyone wishing to gain access to the collection. This will allow our staff to identify and pull material to meet your research needs and to notify you of closures or other factors that affect our service hours. Our hours of operation are Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. The Giamatti Research Center is closed on most holidays, including Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. It is also closed the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Researchers are encouraged to conduct a thorough review of our online library catalog prior to your visit. Our online library catalog offers the opportunity to search our library collection by author, title, subject, and keyword.

Library Name: ABNER (no password required)

Finding Aids have been created for many of our archival collections.

These documents contain detailed information about a specific collection of papers or records within an archive. They are used by researchers to determine whether information within a collection is relevant to their area of interest.

The content of a finding aid may differ depending on the type of material it is describing. Usually, a finding aid includes a description of the scope of the collection, biographical and historical information related to the collection, and restrictions on use of or access to the materials.

If you have scheduled an appointment with our research staff, please provide us with a list of your desired resources. We can pull as much material as possible and have it ready upon your arrival so you may maximize your research time. Our staff will also be able to inform you if materials are unavailable or if any restrictions on use exist.

If you can’t make it to Cooperstown for a research visit, library services include a variety of fee-based activities, including photocopying, scanning, and research assistance. Inquiries regarding these services should be directed to the Giamatti Research Center.

For photo research and reproduction requests, the Photo Archives' staff is available to help you. You can reach the Photo Archives by phone, email, or mail.

Photo Archives
National Baseball Hall of Fame
25 Main Street
Cooperstown, NY 13326
photoarchives@baseballhall.org

The collections include but are not limited to:

• Books
• Periodicals
• Archival Manuscript collections
• Archival Photographs
• Audiovisual material
• Scrapbooks
• Statistical compendia and databases
• Team publications

We also have an extensive array of biographical clippings files, including those for:

• Every major league player to appear in at least one game since 1871
• Most Negro league and “women’s league” (AAGPBL) players
• Baseball officials, including owners, broadcasters, and umpires

Additional clippings files are subdivided by subjects, ranging from law to economics to politics, and we have other files concerning particular geographic locations.

Original documents, photographs, and recordings are stored under state-of-the-art archival conditions designed to perpetuate the life of the collections. In accordance with contemporary standards on the handling of artifacts, our staff may impose certain restrictions on the use of material by researchers.

Donation of collections and individual items to the library are encouraged, and a Library Acquisitions Committee meets frequently to assess proposals. Inquiries regarding the donation of library-related material may be directed to the Giamatti Research Center.

We accept research inquiries via the following methods:

Inquiries are answered in the order they arrive. We try to respond as soon as possible, but please keep in mind that some inquiries may require more time to answer than others.