Visit your local library and search for the book using the library’s computerized catalog system or card catalog. If the library does not have the book, ask whether it participates in an interlibrary loan system and can request the book from another library.
Check the websites of college libraries. You can find the full text of many books that are in the public domain on these sites. In general, the copyright for a book published in the United States expires 70 years after the death of the author.
Call bookstores that sell used and rare books, and ask whether the book is in stock. You also can search for the book on websites that specialize in selling used books. Many online retailers of new books have special sections devoted to used books.
Search for the book on auction sites such as eBay or classified sites such as Craigslist.
Contact the publisher if you are unable to find the book by any other means. Many times publishers keep copies of out-of-print books in their offices or warehouses and might be willing to send you a copy for a fee.
Contact the author if the publisher is out of business or the book is self-published. Authors often maintain personal websites where they list their email addresses or other contact information.