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There's a 1951 article by John von Neumann, Various techniques used in connection with random digits, which I would really like to read. It is widely cited, but I can't seem to find an actual copy of the paper, be it free or paying.

Is there a general strategy to find copies of relatively old papers like this one?

EDIT: I've searched quite a lot before posting this question and fond the following reference:

Journal of Research of the National Bureau of Standards, Appl. Math. Series (1951), 3, 36-38

Unfortunately, my library doesn't have it, and it is not in NIST's online archive (neither at http://www.nist.gov/nvl/journal-of-research-past-issues.cfm nor at http://nistdigitalarchives.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/nistjournalofresearchbyvolume/collection/p13011coll6)

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    Welcoming to the wonderful world of publishing.2012-08-25
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    Do you know the name of the journal and the current owner of copyright? You should be able to get it from them.2012-08-25
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    I wouldn't be surprised if only a small fraction of those citing it really have read the paper.2012-08-25
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    Salut Clément, your local libraries may not have J. Res. NIST appl. math. ser but perhaps they have von Neumann's collected works? The other alternative is to talk to a librarian in the best library you have access to: they usually have a system for getting photocopies of journal articles even if they don't have the article themselves.2012-08-25
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    Thanks mt_, I didn't know librarians did that :)2012-08-25
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    A [quick search](http://www.sudoc.abes.fr/) revealed that both libraries *ORSAY-PARIS 11-Bib. Maths* and *PARIS 6-Inst. Henri Poincaré* possess *Collected works. Volume V*, where the paper of your heart is reprinted.2012-08-25
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    Awesome, thanks!2012-08-25

2 Answers 2

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One of the citations gives the bibliographic info,

von Neumann J, Various Techniques Used in Connection with Random Digits, Notes by G E Forsythe, National Bureau of Standards Applied Math Series, 12 (1951) pp 36-38. Reprinted in von Neumann's Collected Works, 5 (1963), Pergamon Press pp 768-770.

That should be enough information for any librarian to find you a copy.

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    Who would have thought that bibliographic information exists to help people locate references... I, for once, am completely shocked by this fact and I am glad that I was sitting down when I was reading this answer.2012-08-25
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    Thanks. However, NIST archives (http://www.nist.gov/nvl/journal-of-research-past-issues.cfm) do not seem to include volume 51, and the largest library of my city (Paris, France) doesn't have it. Perhaps I should have mentioned this.2012-08-25
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    @Clément: You can get it at the BnF: http://catalogue.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb332187664/PUBLIC2012-08-25
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    Brilliant, thanks Michael. If you'll post your comment as an answer I'll accept it; otherwise I'll mark this one as the accepted answer. How did you find it? Did you directly think of the BNF?2012-08-25
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    @Clément, just mark this one.2012-08-25
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    Done, thanks again!2012-08-25
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    @Asaf: The operative words in this answer are "_for any librarian_", since it didn't sound like the OP had actually asked one for help.2012-08-25
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    Clement, there's a difference between "my library doesn't have it" and "my library can't get it for me." That's why I suggested going to a librarian, not just going to a library. Anyway, I'm glad matters have been resolved.2012-08-25
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I ran into a similar problem recently, and my solution was to email the NIST archives and request the article be scanned and emailed.

I received an email with a pdf version, and now it has been recently added to Richard Arratia's list of hard to find papers. https://dornsifecms.usc.edu/richard-arratia-usc/hard-to-find-papers-i-admire/