OPEN EVERYDAY NOON TO 4PM
(Except Major Holidays)
Become A BCGS Volunteer
Volunteering provides the opportunity to interact with interesting people who care about genealogy and the warm feeling received from helping others.
Would you like to get involved with the Berks County Genealogical Society? Do you have an interest in history or genealogy? Have you ever wanted to try teaching, researching, or developing a program? Consider volunteering at the BCGS. Try your hand at research or transcription in the BCGS Library. Brainstorm new ideas for children's programs, or share your artistic abilities. The opportunities are endless and in most cases, willingness to learn is the main criteria.
The BCGS is in need of several volunteers. Look over the list below and see if there is something that you would like to do to help. Call or email us if you are interested in any of the positions and we can discuss it in more detail.
Journal Editor – We need articles about Berks County history or genealogy. Journal editor will assemble articles using whatever software they are comfortable with. Send to Journal proof reader and when returned, convert final Journal to pdf file and email to Membership chair for distribution. Current editor will work with and show the “template” pages that have been saved for future use. Just 4 issues per year.
Publicity – email general meeting information and announcements to the public. (7 times a year)
Library – Volunteers are needed to help staff the library 12 to 4. It can be once a week, once every other week or once a month. Whatever works for you.
Projects Chairperson – Coordinate and track indexing, copying, scanning, etc, with volunteers.
Videographer – Film and edit meetings using whatever equipment you have, edit videos to a short file length, currently 720 dpi and 18 frames per second will reduce file size to something that can be emailed. First video’s with better results were with a generation 1 iPad. Current videographer is not one and is hung up with editing. I will share what I saved, hoping for a volunteer with more knowledge.
Member Volunteer Opportunities Include:
- Assisting patrons in the BCGS Library.
- Doing computer entry of genealogy information.
- Indexing tombstones of local cemeteries.
- Indexing records data.
- Helping with special events and programs.
- Performing genealogical research.
- Performing general office work.
- Brainstorming ideas for programs and events.
- Research your family history during slow times.
Books That Need Indexing
- Blue Mountain / Blueberger Church Records, Upper Tulphocken Twp
- Burials in the Maidencreek Cemetery, Blandon
- Longswamp Cemetery, Longswamp Twp.
- Longswamp Church Burials, Longswamp Twp.
- Records of the Former Community Bible Church, Temple, Muhlenberg Twp.
- St. Paul's Church / Lebanon Church / Smoke Church, Windsor Twp.
If you would like to work on any of these indexing projects or have any questions about them, please contact the BCGS.