Some university libraries with strong marine science programs may have digitized copies.
A premier source for scanned, public-domain maritime texts where users upload complete editions of past almanacs. nautical almanac 1988 pdf
Here lies the rub. The official Nautical Almanac is a government publication. In theory, it should be in the public domain in the United States (since it’s a work of the US government). However, the UK holds joint copyright, and digital archives pre-2000 are notoriously spotty. The official Nautical Almanac is a government publication
Use the "Increments and Corrections" section to adjust the GHA and Dec for the minutes and seconds past the hour. Use the "Increments and Corrections" section to adjust
Clear legibility of the minute notation columns is critical; low-quality scans can lead to reading errors that distort position lines by miles.
Students learning celestial navigation often use older, free PDF almanacs alongside historical exercise books to practice sight reduction without buying new commercial publications. Key Data Inside the 1988 Edition