Guide to Out‐of‐Print Materials

A straightforward, simple guidebook for acquiring a range of out‐of‐print or out‐of‐distribution materials, this offering from ALCTS holds few surprises for the experienced collection development librarian or bibliographer. It would be of use to this specific audience, however, as a single source for traditional (mail) and Web‐based sources. For those either beginning their work in this fascinating field or those studying it, the book is a timely, if sometimes cryptic, introduction to the current practices and sources in of out‐of‐print materials. The editors do not make a claim to completeness, but list major online antiquarian sites such as ABE, Alibris, Amazon, Powells, and also address the other media, each in a separate short section. Each section, including books, audiovisual materials (which is divided into video and DVD and sound recordings), covers the same range of sources, that is, Web, associations, and search services, with lists of the major services and how to access them. This, of course, involves some duplication of sources. For example, Amazon appears in each section. But each is also prefaced by a short description of the unique problems involved in acquiring that specific format of materials. The work also provides useful, short appendices such as the Out‐of‐Print Materials URL Resource List, which could easily become a tool for acquisitions department staff, a glossary of terminology often used to describe antiquarian, rare, out‐of‐print/distribution materials (these and other terms are defined on pp. 3‐4), and a short bibliography. Obviously not designed to be either thorough or theoretical, the guide is nevertheless short enough to peruse in a single sitting, clear enough to be useful to non‐professional staff and current enough for everyday use.