diff --git a/src/server/internalServer.cpp b/src/server/internalServer.cpp
index 9607dd4f..0e354502 100644
--- a/src/server/internalServer.cpp
+++ b/src/server/internalServer.cpp
@@ -803,18 +803,6 @@ std::string searchSuggestionHTML(const std::string& searchURL, const std::string
 
 } // unnamed namespace
 
-std::shared_ptr<Reader>
-InternalServer::get_reader(const std::string& bookName) const
-{
-  std::shared_ptr<Reader> reader;
-  try {
-    const std::string bookId = mp_nameMapper->getIdForName(bookName);
-    reader = mp_library->getReaderById(bookId);
-  } catch (const std::out_of_range& e) {
-  }
-  return reader;
-}
-
 std::unique_ptr<Response>
 InternalServer::build_redirect(const std::string& bookName, const zim::Item& item) const
 {
diff --git a/src/server/internalServer.h b/src/server/internalServer.h
index c5a2cc15..ed40fea9 100644
--- a/src/server/internalServer.h
+++ b/src/server/internalServer.h
@@ -89,7 +89,6 @@ class InternalServer {
 
     MustacheData get_default_data() const;
 
-    std::shared_ptr<Reader> get_reader(const std::string& bookName) const;
     bool etag_not_needed(const RequestContext& r) const;
     ETag get_matching_if_none_match_etag(const RequestContext& request) const;