The Society's library is acknowledged to be one of
the best and most thoroughly indexed collections of county data in Pennsylvania.
Included are...
- County tax records from 1754 to 1850
- Church records -
140 churches
- Cemetery records -
110 account books
- Census reports from 1790 to 1920
-
Family histories - 400
- Computer data-base of births, deaths, baptisms, marriages, military references,
etc. Over 700,000 entries and increasing daily!
- Newspapers from 1796 to the 1940s (One of the largest newspaper collections
in the state)
- "Passing Scene" local history books (22,000 references, indexed fully,
2,800 photos fully captioned)
- Photograph collection (fully cataloged; 15,000 views)
- Glase collection of theatre programs, photos, and newspaper clippings (P.
E. Glase's lifetime accumulation relating to those who appeared in Reading
during the 1870s to 1940s mainly. One of the major PA collections, as everyone
who was somebody appeared in Reading.
- Local history books
- Military Records Spanish American and
Civil Wars
- Historical Review Index A comprehensive
index of every issue published between 1970 and 2003.
GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH SERVICE
CORRESPONDENCE
Each year we receive hundreds of letters from people seeking assistance
on establishing records of Berks County families. As time permits (and only
if a self-addressed, stamped ($1.11) manila 8 ½ x
11 envelope is received),
we read each letter, study the request and try to answer within the month.
Copies of
pertinent information, up to 30 pages, will be mailed.
LIMITED RESEARCH AVAILABLE
If the correspondent clearly identifies the ancestor as living in
Reading or Berks County (please designate the name of
the township), we will offer to give the following services:
1. Search index to our original OATH OF ALLEGIANCE OF
BERKS COUNTY and/or BERKS COUNTIANS IN THE
REVOLUTION for ONE ancestor and send a certified copy of
same. Fee $15.00.
2. Search our index to the original tax lists of Reading and
Berks County 1754 -1789 on one name and send copies of
the same. (Although we have microfilms of tax records of
Berks County down to 1840 and a little beyond, we do not
have name index beyond 1789) Search indices to our
church records of Reading or township in Berks County
where ancestor resided for baptismal (which usually gives
date of birth and names of parents), marriage and death
record on ONE NAME. Search our computer data-base of
over 500,000 files dealing with vital statistics, church records
and cemetery records for an individual name. Search local
genealogy and history sources. Fee $30.00.
Research time is limited to 4 hours. An estimate of the
time and cost of further research will be included with the
original research request.
Fee for No.1 is $15.00. Fee for No.2 is $30.00, payable in
advance. Please enclose an 8 ½ X 11 self-addressed, stamped
($1.11) manila envelope for mailing the report, Attn.: Library,
Historical Society of Berks County, 940 Centre Ave., Reading PA
19601
Birth and death records were not required registration in Pa. until
1905, and they are then at the Bureau of Vital Statistics in New
Castle, PA. Before that date you will have to use the registrations
found in church records. Please see No. 2 of the form.
Library - Museum Hours -
Tuesday through Saturday - 9AM to 4PM
Admission for non-members
- Adults - $4
- Senior Citizens (with proof of age) - $3
- Children 5-12 - $2
- Children in groups - $1
Children under 12 are not permitted in the library.
There is a $5.00 per day charge for non-members for library use.
Become a
Member!
For more information call 610-375-4375
Driving Directions:
- For general driving directions, put your zip code in the box and press the "Give Me Directions" button.
- For door to door driving directions, put your street address and zip code in the box and press the button. ex: 22 Maple Street,19540
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For those of you with satellite navigation systems in your automobile,
the GPS coordinates for our museum are: N 40° 21.022, W 75° 55.961
Historical Society of Berks County
940 Centre Avenue
Reading, Pennsylvania 19601
Phone 610 375-4375 Fax 610 375-4376
Contents of this web site ©
1995, 2008 Historical Society of Berks County
