When a book is out of print, it really is out of print!

Library urban myths no 1

Library staff have to put up with many complaints. Some of them are justified (the tasteless colour of the Library carpet tiles for example) and over the years a number of myths have developed which relate to aspects of Library services. It is time to debunk some of these myths.

The first of these myths is the slow turnaround of some books from the point of order to receipt in the Library. There are a number of reasons to explain this delay; however, one of the likeliest reasons for a delay in obtaining a book is that it may be out of print, especially if it is a popular textbook or had a very small print run. 'Out of print' means that all published copies of the book have been distributed by the publisher and the Library book suppliers are unable to source any new supplies.

So, what are the options for the Library and the book requester?

if the book is urgently requested for research or individual use, Inter-Library Loan is the fastest option
if the book is a UK imprint and is on a Reading List, specific chapters may be digitised under the CLA Digitisation Licence and attached to the relevant WebCT module. The first chapter can be digitised but subsequent chapters may possibly incur extra charges
the Library can also attempt to source an ebook copy
the Library can also attempt to track down a purchase copy of the book using specialist out of print booksellers. Unfortunately, this service is expensive in terms of Acquisitions staff time, and books purchased in this way can be very expensive
occasionally previous editions of a book are still in print. Are these acceptable alternatives to the out of print edition?

If a book on your Reading List is reported to be out of print, please discuss this matter with the staff in Acquisitions. Jenny Evetts (jse) and her team will be happy to discuss the various alternatives listed above with you and hopefully resolve your problem.

So, what about buying books on-line? That is a story to come . . .