Out of Print Materials

Databases
Other Sources
Out of Print Journal Issues
"Out of Print" Websites
Donations
Who Buys Books and Journals

Databases

These web sites allow you to search the combined inventory of many used book dealers.

Bookfinder This resource searches the holdings of new and out-of-print book databases and presents a combined result. Databases searched include Advanced Book Exchange, Powell's Books, and others.

AddALL This multi vendor search engine is particularly useful for non-North American imprints.

Advanced Book Exchange This site claims it is the world's largest source of out-of-print books with over 13 million titles.

Alibris This reseller taps into the holdings of over a thousand small out-of-print dealers and re-sells their titles directly and via services such as Amazon.com.

Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America The ABAA Booknet specializes in rare and antiquarian books, maps and prints.

Bibliofind Now part of Amazon.com, this service allows o.p. dealers to list their holdings on the Web. Current size is listed as over 9 million titles.

Powell's Technical Books This megabookstore, based in Portland, Oregon, has a immense collection of technical books.

BookSearch This service searches the Internet and other resources for out of print materials.

Direct Textbook This website focuses on textbooks and provides price quotes from multiple textbook retailers.

Zubal Books Based in Ohio, this company buys and sells used scholarly books.

Additional websites and catalogs of individual bookstores and used book dealers can be found at Yahoo's Antique, Rare and Used Book page and AcqWeb's Rare and Antiquarian Book Venders list.

Other Sources

UMI (University Microfilms Inc.) operates a print-on-demand service for books, journals, theses and dissertations stored in their microfilm repository. Call 800-521-0600 to inquire whether UMI can provide a particular title.

A good source for out-of-print technical reports is the National Technical Information Service (NTIS), a central source for the sale of scientific, technical, engineering and related business information produced by or for the U.S. government and similar material from international sources.

Global Engineering Documents offers access to older standards and specifications from around the world.

Out of Print Journal Issues

To find single issues of journals, in addition to searching the inventories of the sites listed above, there are specialized sites just for back issues of journals.

Backserv is a service provided out the the Blackwell's Publishing Group in the U.K. Libraries and individuals interested in donating or acquiring journal issues submit their requests to Backserv via email. The archives of Backserv messages are searchable.

Other sites include:

"Out of Print" Websites

Wayback Machine is an internet archive service. Their archives contain over 10 billion web pages dating from 1995 to the present. Use it to surf the web as it was by simply typing in a URL (web site address) and clicking the 'Take Me Back' button.

CyberCemetery - provides access to the web sites of defunct U.S. government agencies and commissions.

Donations

Many of the suppliers of the out of print materials listed above are also willing to purchase materials. If you are interested in donating your materials, many libraries accept donations. Below are some links to book donation organizations that help match donors to libraries overseas.

Directory of Book Donation Programs

Donation Programs for Books, Journals, and Media