Encyclopedia Britannica to Cease as We Know It
I will be the first to admit my love for Wikipedia. Rarely, have I gone to look for something and not found it there, or found the information on its page inaccurate. I have even gone as far as giving Wikipedia its own icon on my AOL “Favorites Bar”. Nevertheless, it saddens me to read that Encyclopedia Britannica will no longer be printed and bound; rather the company will focus on its digital version. I understand the decision, which is of course the logical choice, though I cannot help but feel this is a loss, to us all.
Recently, when going through my own library, I stopped at my mid-80’s set of encyclopedia’s and wondered if perhaps it was time for them to find a new home. The information is outdated, I told myself; but then quickly added, it is also historical. I did not want to get rid of the encyclopedias, anymore than I want to let go of my dictionary, thesaurus or atlas, though more often than not, I now use on-line sources to find information I used to look up in these well-worn tomes. There is something marvelous about holding on to a book, any book.
I love leafing through the pages of a book, making notes (I know, purest do not write in books), attaching post-its, to mark something I want to remember, and slipping book reviews or author information in between the pages. A few years ago, Kate gave me a book about Presidential sights, and inserted the ticket stubs and brochures we had collected at the various library’s and homes we had gone to, which were mentioned in the book – it was a perfect gift; she then began adding ticket stubs from the opera’s we had seen to our Oxford book of opera. I always take note of what treasures others have left in previously loved and read books.
A printed and bound book feels like it may well last forever; while electronic versions hang in a precarious state, dependent on energy. You can always read by candle light; though I will also admit the lure of being able to carry an entire library around with me, courtesy of mother boards, memory sticks, and CPU’s is appealing.
I remember how important encyclopedias were as a child. My Mother purchased a Funk & Wagnall set at the grocery store, paying ninety-nine cents for the first volume and a couple dollars more for the rest of the books, acquiring one a week, as they appeared on an end-cap display. I could not wait for that set to be completed, I felt rather special having a set of encyclopedia’s in our house. I think my sister may still have that set. Wikipedia tells me that Funk & Wagnall too have stopped publishing a printed version of their encyclopedia. How very sad indeed.
As a child, there was something magical about opening an encyclopedia. The world really was at your fingertips. No matter what you wanted to know, you could always find the answer in the encyclopedia; and if you were lucky there would be pictures too! There was also the delicious bonus information. You would go looking for what you needed, to write a book report, and while searching for the designated topic you would be drawn in to all of the information which started with the same letters. I so love free information!
Of all of the Favorite Books, the encyclopedia will always be held dear; I know the Internet has changed and drastically improved the quality and quantity of information we can now access, but still, I stop to mourn this loss.
