You can write to reference librarians and others at a particular library to confirm if they have a given book or periodical, or if they will send you the article directly. The following could be formats of the letters:
1. Try the Inter-Library Loan service through your local library first for books, periodicals and articles. You may have library privileges at more than one library, so if you have a lot of requests to make, divide them up among the libraries, so that you don't overwhelm any one library staff with requests.
For the Baltimore Pratt Library and other libraries you have access to, click here
2. If the Int. Lib. Loan service can't get it for you, where they may say that it is not available anywhere, don't give up. They may not have looked in the proper place or tried hard enough. In this case, go onto WorldCat and find the libraries that have the title of the work you are looking for. Then write to them the following letter, or something similar:
For Periodicals and Articles:
Dear Librarian:
Can you please verify that you have the following periodical and/or issues in your library, as indicated in the WorldCat database? Please verify if it is physically present, since sometime items are lost, even though they may still be listed in the catalog. I have tried going through interlibrary loan to get an article, but was told this issue is not available anywhere.
Name of Periodical:
Publisher:
Issue(s):
Pages:
I am actually trying to get a copy of the article: __ , so if you have the above periodical issue in your collection, would you be willing to scan this article for me and send it to me by email? I will be happy to pay any costs involved.
Also, please send me the correct email address and telephone number for any follow-up questions I may have.
Thank you very much for your help.
Sincerely,
John
For Books:
Dear Librarian:
Can you please verify that you have the following book(s) in your library, as indicated in the WorldCat database?
Author:
Title:
Place of publication:
Publisher:
Year of Publication:
Please verify if it is physically present, since sometime items are lost, even if they are still listed in your electronic catalog.
Also, is this book available for Interlibrary Loan? If not, is it permissible for a researcher to come in person to your library and make photocopies or digital camera photos of certain pages of this book?
Thank you very much for your help.
Sincerely,
Name
Libraries, Standard Letters and Contact Information:
Websites for Libraries anywhere in the US, searchable by city name: http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/libraries/librarysearch/ This is very detailed, and even has the Levering and Bliss libraries listed. It shows phone numbers, but not email addresses; So you can use these as your local intel agents;
The other website that has essentially the same info on public libraries, but also has links to college and university libraries is: http://www.publiclibraries.com/
Library of Congress Ask a Librarian website: http://www.loc.gov/rr/askalib/
Websites for Libraries anywhere in the US, searchable by city name: http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/libraries/librarysearch/ This is very detailed, and even has the Levering and Bliss libraries listed. It shows phone numbers, but not email addresses; So you can use these as your local intel agents;
The other website that has essentially the same info on public libraries, but also has links to college and university libraries is: http://www.publiclibraries.com/
LOC Virtual Reference Shelf: http://www.loc.gov/rr/askalib/virtualref.html
Books
Confirmation that you have a certain book in your library
Dear Librarian:
Can you please verify that you have the following book in your library, as indicated in the WorldCat database? Please verify if it is physically present, since sometime items are lost, even if they are still listed in the catalog.
Author:
Title:
Publication information:
Also, please send me the correct email address and telephone number for any follow-up questions I may have.
Thank you very much for your help.
Sincerely,
John
Periodicals
Confirmation that you have a certain periodical issue in your library
Dear Librarian:
Can you please verify that you have the following periodical and/or issues in your library, as indicated in the WorldCat database? Please verify if it is physically present, since sometime items are lost, even though they may still be listed in the catalog.
Name of Periodical:
Publisher:
Issue(s):
Pages:
Also, please send me the correct email address and telephone number for any follow-up questions I may have.
Thank you very much for your help.
Sincerely,
John