How to Replace Old Class Yearbooks
LOUISE HARDING
CLASS
Class yearbooks are intended to be treasured and cherished as sentimental mementos of days gone by. Memories of school friends remain intact as long as you have images to gaze fondly upon, recalling the events of yesteryear. When the unimaginable happens and you find that your old class yearbook is missing or damaged, or if a reunion is upon you and you need copies for a display, there is hope for replacing those old yearbooks. Many services exist for finding and buying these books. If all else fails, check online auction sites to see if someone has listed the yearbook for which you’re looking.
Contact the school by phone, email, the school's website or a letter to inquire about purchasing a copy of the class yearbook. School libraries often have transferred old yearbooks digitally. If an actual copy of the yearbook is not available, a CD or electronic file of the yearbook might be.
Follow through with your inquiry by ordering and remitting payment in the denomination requested by the school or alumni department. Don’t be surprised if very old yearbooks are no longer available. A school often orders a specific number of books each year. Once they are sold out, there may not be extra copies for purchase.
Search online for old class yearbooks through yearbook replacement services or online auction sites. Used book and rare book sellers often list and sell yearbooks. There are also services that allow you to post a “want” advertisement seeking the yearbook you want. Some yearbook services have print catalogs for very old yearbooks, as these may be collector’s items.
- Contact former classmates to see if they can scan an old class yearbook and create a digital file for you. This isn’t the same thing has having the actual yearbook, but an electronic file allows you to stroll down memory lane just as well as flipping a paper page, and the digital file will last longer. You can always print out the e-book, too.
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