Expert Guidance for Your Pennsylvania German Family History Research

Our research library in Pennsburg is one of the most specialized genealogy resources in southeastern Pennsylvania — and you don't have to navigate it alone. Whether you're tracing Schwenkfelder ancestors, Pennsylvania German church records, or regional family histories across Montgomery, Berks, Lehigh, and Bucks counties, our staff are here to help you find what you came for.

What Our Research Library Offers

The Schwenkfelder Library holds collections that span centuries of Pennsylvania German life — church records, family Bibles, fraktur, land documents, correspondence, photographs, and manuscript materials unavailable in a single location anywhere else. Researchers can access these materials through three paths:

• Self-directed library access: Visit during open hours and explore the collections independently. Reference staff are available to answer questions and point you toward relevant finding aids.
• Staff-assisted research appointments: Schedule dedicated time with a staff member who will help you navigate the collections, identify relevant records, and develop a research strategy tailored to your family lines and geographic focus.
• Remote research requests: Can't visit in person? Submit a research inquiry and our staff will review your request, identify what the collections hold for your family names and counties of interest, and respond with findings or guidance.

All three options give you access to the same depth of material — the right path depends on your location, your experience level, and how much ground you want to cover.

What to Expect from a Staff-Assisted Appointment

A research appointment is not a commissioned research service. Our staff will not conduct extended independent research on your behalf or produce a completed family history report. What they will do is work alongside you during your visit — helping you interpret records, locate relevant collections, understand the organization of the archives, and prioritize your time.

For most researchers, this is exactly what makes the difference between a productive visit and a frustrating one. Knowing which record sets exist, where to find them, and how to read what you've found is specialized knowledge. Our staff bring that knowledge to your appointment.

Appointments typically run one to two hours. If your research goals are complex or you're working across multiple family lines, consider scheduling additional time or planning a follow-up visit.

How to Prepare Before You Arrive

The more context you give us before your visit, the more productive your appointment will be. When you contact us to schedule, share the following:

• Family surnames you're researching, including spelling variants if known
• Counties of interest — particularly Montgomery, Berks, Lehigh, or Bucks County
• Approximate time periods for the records you're seeking
• What you already know — any existing documentation, family trees, or prior research
• What you're hoping to find — a specific record type, a missing generation, a place of origin

This information lets us identify which collection areas are most relevant to your goals before you walk through the door. We'd rather spend ten minutes on the phone or email helping you prepare than have you leave without finding what you needed.

If you're not sure what to bring or where to start, reach out anyway. Helping researchers get oriented is part of what we do.

How to Conduct Research in the Library & Archives

You are welcome to do research in person or request information via mail or email (though not by phone).

On-site research

Calling or emailing in advance to make an appointment ensures that the desired material is available. Library materials are often more easily available than archival materials. Walk-in visitors who wish to view material from the archives will be asked to make an appointment for a later date.

Appointments are preferred Tuesday through Friday; staffing is limited on weekends. For weekends, you must have put in a request for materials ahead of time. Inquiries are taken in order of receipt. Please make an appointment by emailing hunt@schwenkfelder.org or calling 215-679-3103 (ask for Hunt).

See Reading Room Guidelines for more details.

Research Requests

The archivist answers email and mailed reference inquiries only, not phone requests. Reference inquiries are handled in the order they are received. As research can be very time consuming and involved, our researchers can only answer inquiries for specific dates, names, etc. In addition, they can only devote one hour to each request.

When sending a request, be as specific as possible. Include names, locations, denominations, and dates that are important to your research. List related manuscript collections or print materials of which you are aware of.

Send email inquiries to: hunt@schwenkfelder.org

Address mailed inquires with a SASE to:

                Hunt Schenkel, Archivist
                 Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center 
                 105 Seminary Street
                 Pennsburg PA  18073

For fees for research requests, please go to the Services & Fees section.

German Language Materials

Since over 50% of our collection is in German, if your request entails transcription and/org translation, please email or call to discuss additional fees.

Photography and Reproductions

Visitors to the Library are welcome to take photographs of collection items, and all are invited to request reproductions for their needs. These images are for personal use only. If you wish to use them online or in print, please contact us usingthis form as possession of that photograph or digital scan does not grant you rights to reproduce it. For fees, please go to the Services & Fees section.

Frequently Asked Questions About Our Research Services