Out-of-Print Book Finder
Gather Accurate Information
Enlist the aid of Amazon.com, the Library of Congress, your public library or a bookstore/search service (several of those are listed below). Searching by author or title, first determine who is the most recent publisher and whether the book is still available for purchase from that publisher.
If the book is in print: Borrow the book from your public library or via the interlibrary loan system. Purchase the book through bookstores (most are willing to "special order" titles not on their shelves) or by contacting the publisher directly.
If the book is out of print: Don't despair! You may still be able to borrow the book using the interlibrary loan system. Or, if you want to own a copy, read on for more suggestions.
Contact the Publisher or Author
Sometimes a book gets a second chance when the publisher decides to retitle and reissue it. Or the original publisher might return publishing rights to the book's author, who then convinces a second publisher to reissue the book. Or the author might buy back from the publisher any copies of the book that remain in the publisher's warehouse when the publisher decides to quit selling the book.
To find out if a book has been retitled and reissued, contact the original publisher. Include in your query as much information as you know about the book or author.
To inquire from an author whether he/she has any remaining copies for sale, start with a quick Google.com search. If the author has a website, you will be able to contact him/her directly. Otherwise, contact the most recent publisher of that author's work. Send a letter or email message to that publisher asking that it be forwarded to the author. (Most publishers will not share an author's personal contact information with readers, but they will forward messages.)