Introduction:
Researchers will sometimes find references to publications which are not available anywhere. There is a catalogue reference, a reference at a book-sellers platform or a reference in another publication. And then you cannot find it and your library informs you they cannot provide it.
But surely it must exist? Why else are there references within other books or catalogues? And the reference is 10 years old!
Congratulations, you might have found a Ghost Publication; a publication that was (is) planned but did not come into being (yet).
Ghost creation
There are 2 ways for Ghost Publications to come into being:
Publications that never were
The publication was announced. Libraries pre-ordered it and added it to the catalogue, booksellers already added it to their platform, authors added it to their literature lists… This was in anticipation of it becoming available…. And then it was cancelled by the author or the publisher. The reference still exists, but to a publication that never was.
Publications that will come…. probably…
And sometimes the publication is still forthcoming… but just takes some time. With the ‘some’ being relative; 5 years, 10 years, 15 years… it is all possible and has happened before.
This might also result in the cancellation of the publication if it takes too long or if the author passes away.
And perhaps…. it might really come into being, any day now…
What can you do?
If there is a Ghost Publication you are really interested in, your best option is to contact the author and inquire. Perhaps the publication has a new title…. or perhaps the author can share the manuscript with you.
Image created by Niels van Tol with Microsoft Copilot
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