Berks County (PA) Genealogical Society | Pennsylvania Family History / Genealogy / Ancestry

We will be closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

PA County Map — **Berks County**
The Great Melting Pot
Of Early America.

The BCGS features a knowledgeable all-volunteer staff, who like yourself, is interested in the family history of our hometown residents. Berks County, erected in 1752, features a rich history and diverse culture. It is the ancestral home of Abraham Lincoln and the birthplace of Daniel Boone, the famous Kentucky pioneer. The county seat, Reading, was founded in 1748 by sons of William Penn, Richard and Thomas, along with Conrad Weiser.

Join BCGS / Renew Membership

Members Area

BCGS Research Services

Book Sale List

Upcoming Events

Thursday, May 15 @ 6:30am | Guest speaker will be Evan Goodling. More

Saturday, May 10 @ 1:30 - 3:30pm | Volunteer Fair At BCGS Library. More

NOW AVAILABLE: 45 Years of Journals (scanned files with index) on a USB flash drive. List price: $36 | Members: $29. Pick one up at the Library or call us and we will drop it in the mail for an additional $1. Learn More

Joys of Genealogy

BCGS LIBRARY NOW ONLINE!

Our library has now been upgraded to a barcode system with a searchable index. Just click on the link below to access our catalog, which is searchable by title, author or keyword. You do not have to login, just start typing in the search box to pull up a list of items in our library matching your search. You can then print the list and visit the library to consult the items found, or submit a research request form listing the items you would like searched. Of course the catalog is also searchable on the public computer in the library. Search Catalog Online

LIBRARY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

At the BCGS library we are very proud of the fact that we are open every day of the week to meet the needs of both local and out-of-town researchers. However, in order to maintain those welcoming hours, we are in need of a few extra volunteers, especially during the summer vacation months. Whether you are able to help once a week, once or twice a month, or just as an “on-call substitute,” your help would be much appreciate. We could especially use help right now on Wednesdays, Saturdays or Sundays—either every week or on alternating weeks. We could also use volunteers living nearby who would be willing to be “on-call” to substitute on an afternoon when a scheduled volunteer becomes unavailable at the last minute.

One benefit of volunteering in the library is that you will have time to do your own research when the library is not busy. Anyone willing to volunteer weekly monthly or on-call, please email the librarian, Laurel Miller, or call the library at 484-509-4806 during open hours, 12-4 p.m. Thanks for considering volunteering so that we can continue to maintain our daily opening hours.

SEARCH THESE WEBITES!

We have a subscription to Ancestry Library Edition, so patrons can access all Ancestry Content, including international records from our library computers.

We are a FamilySearch Affiliate Library, so people can access most of the digitized records on Family Search.

My Heritage subscription database is available to all Pennsylvania residents. Log in with your public library card to access these files.

JOURNAL EDITOR(S) NEEDED

We are now looking for an individual, or team of individuals, who would be willing to take on the job of putting the Journal together every three months. The job basically involves soliciting and collecting articles that members submit, perhaps writing some from time to time, sending the articles to our proofreader as they come in, and then assembling the articles into a printable PDF for publication (using Microsoft Word, Microsoft Publisher, or a Mac equivalent), and then saving to PDF for the printer.

This doesn't have to be a one-person job. It could be a team, and it can be done remotely from anywhere. If you're interested or have questions, please contact Laurel or Scott. Thanks for considering taking on this important task as we continue to provide valuable information and assistance to all of our members, especially those at a distance..

BCGS RESEARCH SERVICES

We can research the resources available in our library for your ancestor including church and cemetery records, ministers’ records, tax and court records, military records, the vertical file and any other resources in our library. The cost for the intial first hour of research is, $40.00 for members, $60.00 for non-members. If we need additional time for research, we will advise you before continuing. There is no guarantee that we will have what you need to find. We will do our best to answer your questions, but in the event that we cannot find what you are looking for, there will be no refund of the fee.

Included in the research fee is 10 photocopies of information we may find (five sheets, double-sided; additional charge for more – we will contact you if necessary). Please allow 6-8 weeks for a reply.

Research Request Form

Dennis Bashore, the chairperson of our Research Committee, volunteers his time to follow up on and process the search requests.

About Genealogy

Many people express a natural curiosity about their ancestors. They listen to stories told by parents, grandparents, or other older folks. The stories may be about the good old days, serving our country, or arriving as immigrants.

The science of genealogy allows researchers to act as detectives as they piece together bits of information about their ancestors. They may want to find out when their ancestors first arrived in the United States, if any fought in the Revolutionary War or Civil War, or if anyone famous is a member of their tree. The pathway to the past however, is not paved with gold, though some may be discovered along the way. It’s often a rough and rocky journey through twists and turns and sometimes road blocks.

Regardless of the initial purpose for the research, discovering one's family history yields many enlightening and enriching rewards.

Obtaining Information

A wealth of documentation exists about Berks County families including census records (1790-1950), back issues of the local daily newspaper, church records, cemetery records, naturalization records, minister journals, family indexes, deeds, wills, warrantee maps, and more.

The BCGS Library, open 7 days a week, offers a multitude of organized material to assist researchers in piecing together family histories.

Where to Start

If you’re new to genealogy or overwhelmed by all the information, check out our Helpful Tips page. It includes research strategies, interpretations of the census forms, reviews of the top genealogy software packages, and a list of common genealogical terms and abbreviations. It also explains the value of information found in obituaries and cemeteries.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.

Finding Your Roots - On PBS

Video Clips & Episodes

Genealogy Videos On

Ancestry.com FamilySearch.org US National Archives Genealogy Research

Berks County Genealogical Society
Preserving the Past to Enrich the Lives of the Present

Welcome Friends