Photo Archivist 

(June 9, 2025)

Position Title - Photo Archivist

Supervisor Title (All entry and mid-level position supervisors should be qualified, professional archivists.)- Director of Collections and Archives

Position Type - Full-time, permanent

Benefits - Yes

Salary Range - $45,000 - $55,000

PHOTO ARCHIVIST

FT/Salary

Professional

Cooperstown, NY, US

Salary Range: $45,000.00 To $58,000.00 Annually

WHY THE NATIONAL BASEBALL HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM?

Working at the National Baseball Hall of Fame is a career experience unlike any other. Every member of our team is a steward of the game’s history. Our mission is simple – we preserve history, honor excellence and connect generations. These six words define our commitment to giving fans and visitors a home to celebrate the game and its history, honor the all-time greats, and make memories that will last a lifetime.

To best fulfill our mission we prioritize people, and that starts with our own team. We deeply value and support our dedicated team members. We provide a respectful and inclusive workplace. We work to foster connection, grow, and cultivate talent, and provide flexibility to best support the health and well-being of our staff – all while having fun along the way.

If you are a baseball fan, a fan of museums, a student of history, love arts and culture, or someone who appreciates the unique connections that sports can create, this could be the team for you!

THE COOPERSTOWN PITCH.

Located on Main Street in the heart of picturesque Cooperstown, New York, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum opened its doors for the first time on June 12, 1939, and has grown to become one of the country’s most popular destinations. The Hall of Fame is the home of the game’s treasures, where the magic of baseball’s stories and legends are passed on from generation to generation.

With its character and charm, the Village of Cooperstown is an American treasure. For many Cooperstown means baseball, but it also offers golf, shopping and dining, hiking, biking, snowmobile trails, a pristine lake, unique museums, world-class arts, and a wide array of craft beverages.

To check out more information about living and working in Cooperstown, please visit: https://www.cooperstownny.org/about-cooperstown/

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, ACCESSIBILITY & INCLUSION.

We’re looking to recruit, hire, and collaborate with people of all backgrounds to help us build a team with varied perspectives and experiences. We are committed to cultivating a diverse, inclusive, welcoming, and supportive environment for all and are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer

OVERVIEW:

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum’s (NBHOFM) archives are an integral component of its collections and provides a major public resource for the study of the history of baseball, past and present. The NBHOFM seeks a Photo Archivist who can work collaboratively across departments, and who can strengthen and develop the activities of the photo archives including preservation, digitization, and access standards for archival collections in a museum setting.

Reporting to the Director of Collections and Archives, the Photo Archivist will work collaboratively with the Museum’s collections and archival teams to manage the institution’s vast photographic resources. Collections include, but are not limited to prints, negatives, and born-digital images. The Photo Archivist will be tasked with organizing, inventorying, processing, digitizing, and providing access to these collections. Other tasks include collection care, photo reference, acquisitions, exhibition support, and collaboration with members of the Museum Affairs, PR/Marketing, Retail, Membership, and other institutional colleagues. The Photo Archivist will work in tandem with the collections, archives, and library teams to assist in the migration to and management of the museum’s database, Collective Access.

POSITION TYPE:

This is a full-time, benefit eligible position that will work in-person at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, NY. The salary range for this position is $45,000-58,000. Benefits associated with this position include health insurance, dental insurance, life insurance, medical/dental FSA, retirement, and paid time off (vacation, sick, holidays). This position reports to the VP of Museum Affairs.

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Oversee the preservation and safe keeping of the institution’s photo collections, including handling, storage, conservation and security.
• Work with the Collections, Archive, and Library teams to integrate existing and newly digitized items from the photo archives into Collective Access, the Museum’s Digital Collections catalog.
• Assist in the development of departmental strategies for digitizing and accessing photographic collections.
• Respond to photo research inquiries (both in-house and external) and manage rights and reproduction requests related to the photo archives collections.
• Conduct and share research related to photo collections.
• Engage with curation, exhibitions, education and community engagement teams to present items from the collection as part of exhibitions, tours, educational outreach, and events.
• Serve as a core member of the archives acquisition team. Serve as the point of contact with donors of photographic materials. Prepare potential donations for review by the committee.
• Assist in other duties as assigned by the senior staff to support the operations and activities of the collections and museum affairs teams.
• Participate in training and supervision of collections interns, docents, and volunteers as needed.

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• 4-6 years professional work experience in archives, special collections, or in museums required.
• Undergraduate degree in History, Anthropology, or Library and Archive Science required, master’s degree preferred.
• Knowledge of baseball history a plus.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Flexibility and aptitude to work as a collaborative team player with colleagues, volunteers and the public.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and interpersonal.
• Appreciation of the Museum’s mission and ability to be an effective representative.
• Knowledge of current issues and practices in museum-based photo archives, including the best practice procedures for managing, maintaining and preserving both digital and physical photo archival records and collections.
• Ability to work some nights, early mornings and weekends as events and meetings required.
• Proficiency in both Mac/PC and MS Office, Google Apps, Adobe, and archival information systems such as Archive Space. Knowledge of Collective Access or similar museum database is desired.
• Ability to lift to 40 pounds.

TYPICAL PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Must be able to move 40 pounds with or without accommodations and perform repetitive actions over time. Must be able to work in a seated position for majority of workday.

OTHER DUTIES:

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

https://workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/recruitment.html?cid=9ef7529e-16d2-401e-adde-98646092b842&ccId=19000101_000001&jobId=563308&lang=en_US