The research facilities of the Kennedy Library consist of three separate research rooms. The
General Research Room is located on the fourth floor, and is the primary access point for using the other research rooms. The
Audiovisual Research Room is located on the third floor, and the
Ernest Hemingway Room is on the fifth floor. They are
open weekdays from
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Researchers should make appointments to use the audiovisual archives or the Hemingway Collection (telephone numbers are listed below). Research rooms are closed on weekends and Federal holidays.
Researchers making a first visit to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library must fill out a registration form and present a driver's license, military identification card, passport, or other current photo identification. A member of the reference staff will explain library policies and introduce you to the library catalogs and finding aids. The library stacks are closed to researchers; except for reference works, library users must fill out call slips for all items. Research materials do not circulate and can be used only in the reference rooms under the supervision of library staff. Reference staff members will be available throughout the day to answer questions and assist readers with library research.
General Research Room: 617.514.1629, Kennedy.Library@nara.gov
Hemingway Collection: 617.514.1629, Kennedy.Library@nara.gov
Audiovisual Research Room: 617.514.1622, Kennedy.Library@nara.gov
Using the Materials
The Library seeks to make its holdings accessible to researchers while at the same time taking care to preserve fragile documents and books. Accordingly, researchers must observe research room guidelines for handling research materials. The library staff adheres to professional archival security measures in administering library holdings. Prior to visiting the library you should contact the reference staff to describe your proposed research topic and to find out whether material is available on your topic. The reference staff will provide you with information about relevant holdings, their extent, and their character. After a short interview with a member of the reference staff, you will be registered for a researcher identification card. You will not be issued a researcher identification card if the library staff determines that the records that you wish to use are not in the legal custody of the Kennedy Library or if your research needs can be met by secondary sources available at other libraries.
What to Bring
Researchers may bring only personal computers or digital cameras into the research rooms. The reference staff will provide you with pencils and colored note paper. We do not allow pens, notebooks, folders, backpacks, briefcases, bags, or outer clothing of any kind in the reference rooms. Free lockers are available to store personal property. Staff must approve any additional material or equipment in advance.
We permit digital photography in the research rooms with the approval of the Reference Archivist. Advance notice is required to photograph materials requiring special handling or lighting, and permission to do so will be granted at the discretion of the Chief Archivist. For more information, please contact the Reference Archivist at Kennedy.Library@nara.gov.
Wireless Internet Access
The Kennedy Library offers free wireless internet access in the research rooms. You will need a laptop or PDA equipped with a Wifi card supporting "WEP" encryption (most WiFi cards support this standard). The password for WiFi access changes periodically. Please see a Reference staff member for more information and access instructions, including the current password. Please note we do not lend WiFi cards to researchers.