Finding a book close to home

Many times potential bookbuyers ask us whether there is a copy of a specific book in a library near them. For a long time, it was difficult to answer this question. Although many libraries buy directly from Paramount, even more libraries use services known to the industry as library jobbers. When we sell to these jobbers we have no idea who the end user will be.

The problem has been solved by the introduction of www.WorldCat.org. This website allows you to enter the name of a book, its ISBN, or author. Give the site your zip code and it will list the libraries that have the title, from the closest to you to the furthest away. It is also a good way to find out just how popular a book is with librarians. Soon you will be able to click from a link on www.paramountbooks.com to find which of our books are in which libraries worldwide.

Google Book Search provides the same information. Enter the title of a book that interests you and then click on the line that says, "Find this book in a library." You can find Google Book Search in the "Advanced Search" section of Google.

Obviously booksellers and publishers like Paramount like to sell directly to customers. But we also like our books to be read and used. If the library is your preference, use one of these handy tools to locate a book in a library near you. If there is no library near you with the title, don't hestitate to let your librarian know that you would like to be able to have the book.