There has been some discussion in the website
discussion group concerning the limited number of
members who use the Research Centre. It seems
that while many non-members use the facilities
few members take the opportunity to visit what
must be one of the best society research centres
outside London in south-cast England.
I would suggest that one of the main reasons
is because there is absolutely no reference to
its existence, address, times of opening, search
facilities, mentioned in the Berkshire Family
Historian. I have looked in the March and June
2001 editions and the only reference I can find
is to the occasional Computer Surgeries and the
big book sale (sale of big books or big sale of
books?). Both adverts for Computer Surgeries take
up a whole page, if this was reduced to half a
page there would be space to include details of
the normal opening times etc. of the Centre. I
appreciate that details can be obtained from www.berksfhs.org.uk
but I suspect only a tiny proportion of BFHS
members are on the Internet. In the circumstances
I think members could be forgiven for simply not
remembering that the Centre exists.
