Costuming Books at the Library

[Anna]

I was going to post this as a reply, but then I realized that the whole board might like to see it. Since pattern and art books are so pricey, I use the library. While the public library might not have many (though Portland Public Library is actually pretty well stocked up, at the main branch downtown), your local college or university library is very likely to.

I know for certain that the Reed College library has a number of the popular costuming books (Patterns of Fashion, The Cut of Wo/Men's Clothes, Corsets & Crinolines, some books of art of the times, etc). Of course, you'll have to fight me for them. I know they let the general public in during the day; I don't know if you can check the books out but there are definitely photocopiers. You may even be able to order the books through Inter-Library Loan to the Portland Public Library. If you want a tour around the costuming sections, let me know.

Another school library with a good costume section is the Portland State University library. I don't know whether they loan to the public, but, again, you can probably ILL.

If you're not in Portland, consider checking out your local schools. Even if they don't have it, they almost certainly have an agreement with other libraries that do.

[cosmoblue]

I have most of the Portland Library's books at my house right now. I love them and being able to borrow them until I can afford to buy them is greatly helpful.

[Goblin, esq.]

In California (and Nevada, too, I believe) you can use LINK+, which lets you borrow books from libraries all across the state and have them delivered to your local library. It's great for obscure titles that are only found in a university library somewhere.

205.227.91.239/screens/linkplusinfo.html

I've used it a lot, often to decide which books are worth buying.

[iamdiverted]

That's cool. Thanks for shaing that link.