What is Ask Alexander?
Your Portal to Magic's Past
Ask Alexander is the world’s most comprehensive digital archive of magic history. It preserves thousands of books, magazines, and documents — including The Linking Ring — all fully searchable and accessible online. I.B.M. members enjoy exclusive access to rare materials and insights from the art’s greatest minds.
Archives
Search
Access
Explore Timeless Secrets
The Ask Alexander Platform
Discover
Journey through history.
Knowledge
Expand your understanding.
Secrets
Reveal the hidden wisdom.
More than Reading - It's Research.
100+ Years
Explore every issue from 1922 to today in seconds. Find articles, routines, and names instantly with powerful search.
Direct Access
Skip the page-flipping. Go straight to the exact column, routine, or author you’re looking for.
Discover Hidden Gems
Unearth forgotten routines and wisdom from past masters. Get inspired by treasures you might never have found otherwise.
Quick Start
Just follow these simple steps to begin searching The Linking Ring archives right from the I.B.M. website.
Archive Search
Use the Ask Alexander portal on the I.B.M. site to search every issue from 1922 to today. Find routines, names, or topics instantly without flipping through pages.
Article Access
Click straight into the original scanned issue to view the full article. Whether you’re researching a routine or browsing history, the archive puts it all at your fingertips.
Extra Features
Create a free account to bookmark favorites, organize your research, and access even more collections. It’s the perfect way to personalize and expand your exploration.
Create Your Account
Creating your own Ask Alexander account opens the door to a deeper, more personalized experience. You’ll be able to save searches, mark favorite discoveries, and organize your own research within the world’s largest digital archive of magic. Whether you’re studying classic routines, tracing the lineage of an effect, or uncovering forgotten gems from The Linking Ring, your account puts powerful tools right at your fingertips.
Beyond convenience, it’s your key to connection — a way to engage with the living history of magic on your own terms. Every login brings you closer to the minds and moments that shaped our art. Create your account today and see just how far your curiosity can take you.