The Society's mission, as described on its website, is "to focus attention on the unique local history, the vast material culture, and the diverse cultural heritage of Berks County by preserving, archiving, and promoting this material to instill in our citizens of all ages and ethnic groups an awareness of this growing treasure trove of information.
"[2] The Historical Society houses materials relating to the early history of Berks County in its museum and in the Henry Janssen Library.
The Berks History Center is located at 940 Centre Ave, Reading, PA.[3] The museum has a historical object collection exceeding 20,000 items.
The Society has a large transportation collection, including bicycles, a very rare horse drawn streetcar, a Conestoga Wagon, a Duryea automobile, and other wagons, some of which are on display at the Boyertown Museum of Historic Vehicles located in Boyertown, PA.[1] In addition to the permanent collection, the museum hosts up to three temporary exhibits a year.
[4] Included in the library collection are various books on local genealogy and history, Fraktur, broadsides, photographs, almanacs, sheet music, ledgers from local businesses, newspapers dating back to 1796, blueprints, surveys, maps, city directories from 1856, census records, numerous archival collections, Schuylkill Navigation Company and Union Canal plans, tax records from 1753, among other documents.
There are numerous genealogical resources (many on Pennsylvania Dutch history) available to Library users, including church and cemetery records dating back to the 1730s.
Less than ten years later, the burgeoning Historical Society needed a larger building, and J. Bennett Nolan led the search for a new structure.
Formally named The Henry Janssen Library, this premier research facility opened to the public on November 11, 2008 after extensive renovations.