The Hidden Treasure Hunt: Finding Out-of-Print TEFL Teacher’s Books

Every TEFL teacher knows the feeling: you’ve found a coursebook that just works. The lessons flow, students stay engaged, and the structure saves you hours of planning. But then comes the moment when you need the Teacher’s Book—and it has vanished from the face of the earth.

A teacher in Japan recently described this exact hunt. Their goal? The Teacher’s Book for New American Streamline — Destinations. They had already tracked down teacher guides for Departures and Connections, but the final level seemed impossible to find. The entire series is out of print, and every search seemed to hit a dead end.

The Out-of-Print Dilemma

Why do quality teaching materials disappear? Publishers revise editions, shift focus to digital products, and let older series fade into obscurity. New American Streamline remains a favorite for many TEFL teachers because of its clear communicative approach, practical dialogues, and straightforward layout. But the companion teacher’s guides weren’t printed in huge quantities, and they weren’t always archived.

Once a book goes out of print, the only copies left are in personal collections, school storage rooms, and occasionally on the back shelves of libraries. The internet can help, but only if someone has taken the time to scan and share the book.

Why Teacher’s Books Are Essential

A teacher’s book is more than an answer key. It often contains lesson notes, timing suggestions, warm-up activities, and cultural hints that make a textbook truly shine. For new teachers—or those teaching a course for the first time—these guides are a lifeline.

Without the Destinations teacher’s book, the teacher above found themselves with a half-finished toolkit. They could use the student book and workbook, but they were missing the connective tissue that turns a good lesson into a great one. It’s frustrating to be so close—just one guide away from a complete set.

Where to Look When You’re Stuck

If you’re searching for an out-of-print ESL book, try these routes:

• Internet Archive and digital libraries — You never know what has been digitized and made available.
• Used book marketplaces — Sites like AbeBooks, eBay, Amazon Marketplace, and local equivalents often have older teaching materials.
• Library networks — Interlibrary loan can pull surprisingly old titles from university and public libraries.
• Teacher communities — Ask in ESL groups, alumni networks, or even your own staff room. Someone may have a dusty copy in a desk drawer.
• The publisher — It’s a long shot, but occasionally publishers have old stock or can offer guidance.

A useful tip: search for exact ISBNs and alternative titles. Some older textbooks were published under slightly different names in different regions.

The Power of Shared Resources

The most helpful responses to a search like this often come from other teachers. Someone who taught with Streamline in the 1990s might have a photocopied teacher’s guide tucked into a folder. Another teacher might have created their own notes and be willing to share.

This kind of sharing is at the heart of the TEFL community. When one teacher asks for help, dozens remember similar struggles. It turns a frustrating hunt into a conversation about memories, methods, and the materials that shaped our classrooms.

Don’t Give Up the Hunt

If you’re in the middle of your own search for an out-of-print teacher’s book, keep looking. Try different search terms, ask around, and check offline spaces like staff rooms, university book sales, and secondhand stores. And if you ever find a copy of a resource you love, consider passing it on or digitizing it for the next teacher.

Great teaching resources deserve a second life. The teacher looking for Destinations isn’t just hunting for a book—they’re trying to complete a collection that will help them teach better. And that is a search worth supporting.