strategies for finding a textbook from 30 years ago

August 31, 2023 2:27 PM

Librarians, researchers, nerds: lend me your skills

Here's what we know:

1. it was an elementary school textbook on the Holocaust, written at about the 5th (?) grade level.
2. It probably had the word Holocaust in the title and might have just been titled "Holocaust" or "Shoah"
3. It had a bright yellow paperback cover
4. The text was detailed and frank although the language was simple.
5. It was in use in a day school classroom in the 80s.

That's all I got. How do I even start figuring out what it was, so that I can find an old copy for sale?

posted by fingersandtoes to Media & Arts (7 answers total)

If it is a public school, the district's curriculum choices may be public record and findable among other district resources. If it's a private school, you can try the curriculum coordinator at that school now, or someone who was teaching in that era (who still works there if you're very lucky.)

If you can get a lead on the state or district standards you may be able to figure out what company had the contract. If it's not a textbook, but reading material, this is harder; I'd narrow down the publication window and start combing through WorldCat for any details that ring a bell.
posted by blnkfrnk at 2:49 PM on August 31, 2023

Best answer: Here's my guess: The Holocaust: A History of Courage and Resistance by Bea Stadtler
posted by unknowncommand at 3:11 PM on August 31, 2023 [4 favorites]

Best answer: The Holocaust : a history of courage and resistance
Authors: Bea Stadtler, Morrison David Beal, David Stone Martin (Illustrator)
Print Book, English, ©1976
posted by Iris Gambol at 3:13 PM on August 31, 2023 [3 favorites]

Response by poster: I'll be damned. I didn't expect you guys to find it FOR me, just thought you'd advise me how to look. I do think this is the book. Thank you.
posted by fingersandtoes at 5:40 PM on August 31, 2023 [3 favorites]

Response by poster: I have to pop back in and ask Iris and unknowncommand HOW you guys found it.
posted by fingersandtoes at 7:31 PM on September 1, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Hiya, fingersandtoes. I went to WorldCat and typed Holocaust in the search bar (which I left set to "items"). On the next screen, I checked these boxes in the categories on the left to narrow the search:

Format: Print Book
Language: English
Content: Non-fiction
Publication Year --> Custom Year Range: from 1970 through 1988
Audience: Juvenile
Subject: History & Auxiliary Sciences

That generated 92 results. At the end of the first 10 listings, I switched to "Results per Page: 50;" and scrolled for a yellow cover. The 1976 book was about halfway down the screen. If nothing had looked promising in that batch, I would have toggled on "Retain Filters" at the top of the page, and changed "Holocaust" to "Shoah" in the items field.

(I love WorldCat, but can it love me back?)
posted by Iris Gambol at 8:10 PM on September 2, 2023 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: very interesting. I tried to copy your steps, but very few of the results have a picture of the cover. I wonder if it's a browser issue. Anyway, thank you!
posted by fingersandtoes at 5:00 PM on September 3, 2023