Bye bye Britannica - A Meeting of Minds

Allen · Mar 14 2012, 11:20 PM

I suppose by now everyone's heard that the Encyclopedia Britannica has ceased printing. The 2010 printing is the last, from what I read.

I for one feel that an icon has died. My parents bought a Britannica set for me, back in the 1950s. I remember the door to door salesman that came calling to show us the sample volume.

Years later, when my mother was moving out of St. Louis, she called and asked if I wanted the set. She didn't have room for it, and neither did I. So she donated it to Boys' Town of Missouri in my name.

I still miss it, knowing that I can't go and look up something in "my" Britannica. That set was my main source for a lot of reports and essays from grade school up through high school.

The fact that Britannica is available online is somehow not the same. I love books.

Anyone else have thoughts on this?

GinnyStar · Mar 15 2012, 12:58 PM

Just hear about how sad, I too liked the set we have at home, I used it for school also.
I'm unsure if it Britannica or not. In fact, I read the encyclopedia for something to do when I was young.

Greenrider Tresa · Mar 15 2012, 03:57 PM

That is sad. Never owned any I don't think, but did use them in the school library.

**Cheryl** · Mar 15 2012, 05:53 PM

It's amazing they've lasted this long. And also that, from what I've read, the company isn't folding it's just found other avenues for continuing. Kudos to them for that!

Anareth · Mar 15 2012, 10:09 PM

I hate ebooks as a rule (yeah, yeah, I know) but I can understand--with something where you're constantly having to update, when it's that large, electronic formats could make more sense.

Kugai · Mar 15 2012, 10:44 PM

It certainly feels like the death of an Icon.

Yes, it may continue Online, but it is sad to see the end of the Published Version.

jube · Mar 16 2012, 02:48 AM

The written version will, no doubt, become a collectible.

Greenrider Tresa · Mar 16 2012, 04:14 PM

You mean the oldest ones aren't already? <g>

Mar 14 2012, 11:20 PM	#1
Allen Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Last house on the left, across from the cemetery Gender: M Fan of: The Pern Series Now Reading: Robin Hobb's Shaman's Crossing	Bye bye Britannica I suppose by now everyone's heard that the Encyclopedia Britannica has ceased printing. The 2010 printing is the last, from what I read. I for one feel that an icon has died. My parents bought a Britannica set for me, back in the 1950s. I remember the door to door salesman that came calling to show us the sample volume. Years later, when my mother was moving out of St. Louis, she called and asked if I wanted the set. She didn't have room for it, and neither did I. So she donated it to Boys' Town of Missouri in my name. I still miss it, knowing that I can't go and look up something in "my" Britannica. That set was my main source for a lot of reports and essays from grade school up through high school. The fact that Britannica is available online is somehow not the same. I love books. Anyone else have thoughts on this? __________________ *All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.*

Mar 15 2012, 12:58 PM	#2
GinnyStar Dolphineer Craftmaster Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Wausau, WI USA, Central Standard Time Gender: F Fan of: Pern, other SF works Now Reading: Dragonback Bargain	Re: Bye bye Britannica Just hear about how sad, I too liked the set we have at home, I used it for school also. I'm unsure if it Britannica or not. In fact, I read the encyclopedia for something to do when I was young. __________________ Lover s s, s and friends Lover of and beads, http://www.change.org/profiles/GinnyStar Dragoncave GinnyStar2 Jellied Dragons Lair of Dragons http://dragcave.net/user/GinnyStar2 Thanks! Others: None at this time WIP http://archiveofourown.org/works/252259 http://www.daisy.org/learning-difficulties

Mar 15 2012, 03:57 PM	#3
Greenrider Tresa The Contrary Planetary Brain Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Northern Indiana Gender: F Fan of: The Ship Who Searched Now Reading: The Calhoun Collection, Nora Roberts	Re: Bye bye Britannica That is sad. Never owned any I don't think, but did use them in the school library. __________________ Thinking, understanding, reasoning, willing, call not these Soul! They are its actions, but they are not its essence. Akhenaton? (c. B.C. 1375) Egyptian King and Monotheist

Mar 15 2012, 05:53 PM	#4
Cheryl Master Archivist Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Maryland, USA Gender: F Fan of: Pern! Now Reading: Paladin of Souls (Bujold)	Re: Bye bye Britannica It's amazing they've lasted this long. And also that, from what I've read, the company isn't folding it's just found other avenues for continuing. Kudos to them for that! __________________ Visit one of the other sites of Cheryl's Anne McCaffrey Triad: Sariel's Guide to Pern: a detailed guide to the series The Many Works of Anne McCaffrey: largest fan site about Anne and ALL of her works McCaffrey Quest: annual trivia contest.

Mar 15 2012, 10:09 PM	#5
Anareth Journeywoman Healer Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Here and There Gender: F Fan of: Pern, Ship Series Now Reading: Girl Genius (read it!)	Re: Bye bye Britannica I hate ebooks as a rule (yeah, yeah, I know) but I can understand--with something where you're constantly having to update, when it's that large, electronic formats could make more sense. __________________ Read "Strange Roads" Keep the Heat on for Book 3

Mar 15 2012, 10:44 PM	#6
Kugai Crazy Kiwi Shoujo-Ai Fan Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Wellington NEW ZEALAND Gender: M Fan of: Tower and Hive Series Now Reading: Whatever takes my fancy at the moment	Re: Bye bye Britannica It certainly feels like the death of an Icon. Yes, it may continue Online, but it is sad to see the end of the Published Version. __________________ JAMES THE You can never have too much Coffee FanFic Original Homepage FreeBabylon5 FreeBabylon5 Website

Mar 16 2012, 02:48 AM	#7
jube Dolphineer Journeywoman Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Australia Gender: F Fan of: Dragons of Pern Now Reading: Puzzles and my thesaurus!	Re: Bye bye Britannica The written version will, no doubt, become a collectible. __________________ Dolphineer Journeywoman and part-time researcher.... Find me on ebay..... Here'tis!

Mar 16 2012, 04:14 PM	#8
Greenrider Tresa The Contrary Planetary Brain Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Northern Indiana Gender: F Fan of: The Ship Who Searched Now Reading: The Calhoun Collection, Nora Roberts	Re: Bye bye Britannica You mean the oldest ones aren't already? <g> __________________ Thinking, understanding, reasoning, willing, call not these Soul! They are its actions, but they are not its essence. Akhenaton? (c. B.C. 1375) Egyptian King and Monotheist

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