Looking to obtain a copy (photocopy acceptable) of:

Birnbaum?s Directory of Garment Factories and Agents.  Hong Kong and
Southern China.  1994-1995.
Third Horizon Press, 1994 by David Birnbaum.

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Request for Question Clarification by pafalafa-ga on 28 Jan 2005 10:42 PST

As I'm sure you're already aware, this is a difficult book to track down.  

I don't know where you are located, but there are six libraries in the
US that list Birnbaum's Directory in their holdings.  The libraries
are in Georgia, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Virginia.

Have you considered accessing the book directly via a visit to the
library, or through interlibrary loan?  Alternatively, if there's a
specific piece of information or a small sub-set of pages you wanted
photocopied, a call to one of the libraries can probably produce the
needed result.

Let me know what you think.

pafalafa-ga

P.S.  I'm also trying to run down direct contact information for David
Birnbaum...I'll let you know if that produces any useful results.

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Clarification of Question by snappysun-ga on 31 Jan 2005 09:30 PST

Pafalafa

Thanks for responding so quickly. You are clearly on the right track.
What I need is confirmation that the book is in stock (e.g., that it's
not missing, lost, etc...), contact information for the 'owner' of the
book, and information on how to check out or get the book.  I am in
Northern California.

Thanks.

P.S. I would not recommend trying to contact Birnbaum.  He was very
unhelpful, though you may have better luck.

snappysun-ga,

I have some good news. 

The book you're looking for, besides being hard to find, is generally
handled by libraries as a reference book, and is thus, not ordinarily
available on interlibrary loan.


However, I spoke with the head reference librarian at one of the
libraries that holds the book, and the upshot of our conversation is:

--yes, the book is available and on the shelf at the library

--though not usually available for interlibrary loan, he agreed to
make an exception in this case, and is holding the book, and will be
on the alert for an interlibrary loan request in the near future.


So...your job at this point is to get to a public or university
library and have them put in a loan request with the following
specifics:


James Madison University Carrier Library (Virginia)
Title: Birnbaum's directory of garment factories and agents : Hong
Kong & South China
Published Hong Kong : Third Horizon Press, Ltd., 1994- 

Call #:  TT490 .B57  1994/95   

Attn:  Jerry Gill, Head Reference Librian   540-568-6898



I would encourage you to make the request ASAP, while everyone's
memory is still fresh on the topic.

If your local library balks at filing a loan request for a reference
book, just explain that it was OK'd by the head guy at JMU, and have
them call Mr. Gill if the need arises.


Best of luck on this.  If all goes as planned, you should have the
book in hand shortly, but let me know if you run into a snag for any
reason.


pafalafa-ga

Thank you for your thorough and prompt response.  I have submitted the
request from the San Francisco Public Library system, specifying the
library.  Cross you fingers it gets here soon.