Encyclopedia Britannica (2024)

FAQs

Does the Encyclopedia Britannica still exist? ›

The encyclopaedia is maintained by about 100 full-time editors and more than 4,000 contributors. The 2010 version of the 15th edition, which spans 32 volumes and 32,640 pages, was the last printed edition. Since 2016, it has been published exclusively as an online encyclopaedia.

The Encyclopedia Britannica contains carefully edited articles on all major topics. It fits the ideal purpose of a reference work as a place to get started, or to refer back to as you read and write. The articles in Britannica are written by expert authors who are both identifiable and credible.

The Internet has rendered vintage encyclopedias obsolete and today the value is primarily from people looking to have a set similar to the one that they grew up with. A complete 1967 white britannica encyclopedia sells for $50 or so at auction and for $120 to $150 from antique book dealers.

"The print edition became more difficult to maintain and wasn't the best physical element to deliver the quality of our database and the quality of our editorial," Jorge Cauz, president of Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., told Reuters.

Edwards wrote that Tom Evans, the encyclopedia's editor-in-chief, told him, "Because there is still a demand!" It is a demand, Evans told a reporter, that comes from librarians, teachers and families of students.

You will not be charged during your free trial, and you can cancel at any time. If you decide not to cancel your subscription, your service will continue at $1.44 a week (billed annually at $74.95) for your first year and renew after that year at the then-current rate annually. All subscriptions are billed annually.

For serious errors, such as misinterpretations of important concepts, 4 were found in Wikipedia, and 4 in Britannica (1:1). The study concluded that "Wikipedia comes close to Britannica in terms of the accuracy of its science entries", although Wikipedia's articles were often "poorly structured".

Authors of articles in general encyclopedias, or encyclopedias that cover all subject areas (such as the Encyclopedia Britannica), are not always listed. There are few situations in which you would list an entire encyclopedia in your references; you will need to list the individual article(s) that you consulted.

Britannica's content is among the most trusted in the world. Every article is written, and continually fact-checked, by our experts.

Older encyclopedias make great set dressing and help fill up bookcases." * Nancy Shore of Salt Lake City says: "I donated my encyclopedia set to a charitable foundation that sent it to a school in the Philippines. There are many countries that would love to have our old books."

Are any encyclopedias worth money? ›

Are World Book encyclopedias worth any money? Basically, no. A complete set in very good condition might sell for a few hundred dollars. They have no rarity value and they aren't antiques.

A 1958 complete set of Encyclopedia Britannica will sell in the online market for between $150 and $300.

Back then, the Encyclopedia Britannica, one of the most popular versions of the books, sold anywhere from $1,000 to $3,000. It's hard to wrap your mind around the price 30 years later, but it was the go-to source for information at the time.

Trust Britannica Library as a reliable source with objective, fact-check, and unbiased content that is written by experts and vetted through rigorous editorial process.

Yes, Encyclopaedia Britannica offers corporate and academic subscriptions, along with a wide range of educational products for students and professional learners.

A.J. Jacobs was not the first to read the entire Britannica. The earliest recorded example was Fath Ali, who upon becoming the Shah of Persia in 1797, was given a gift of the 3rd edition of the Britannica.

For serious errors, such as misinterpretations of important concepts, 4 were found in Wikipedia, and 4 in Britannica (1:1). The study concluded that "Wikipedia comes close to Britannica in terms of the accuracy of its science entries", although Wikipedia's articles were often "poorly structured".

Britannica is continuously reviewed and updated, with articles written by experts and vetted by fact-checkers.