Encyclopaedia Britannica axes print edition, goes all-online
Encyclopaedia Britannica focuses on the digital frontier after halting its print publications of more than 240 years.
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Before the days of Google, many people resorted to sifting through volumes of Encyclopaedia Britannica to get the information they sought.
After 244 years of publication, the renowned encyclopaedia will no longer be publishing its print publications the company announced last Tuesday, instead focusing on reaching the online audience through its digital product.
With an increasing online trend, the reasons behind the change are not difficult to spot.
Focusing on a digital only medium of the encyclopaedia brings many benefits to the company including making the publications cheaper and easier to update, along with freeing up shelf space, as the digital medium does not restrict itself to any physical space constraints.
Searching for entries would be made easier as well, as people will now be able to perform a ‘quick-search’ and be presented with multiple links on a topic.
A blog post published on the Britannica website announced the change as a step forward for the company, expanding its audience reach by focusing on their digital version of the encyclopaedia.
“For 244 years, the thick volumes of the Encyclopaedia Britannica have stood on the shelves of homes, libraries, and businesses everywhere, a source of enlightenment as well as comfort to their owners and users around the world,” the company said in the post.
The encyclopaedia has had many entries into its volumes since its first publication in 1768, including well-known icons over the course of time such as Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud and various Nobel Peace Prize winners and US Presidents.
Robert McCambridge
Thu, 15 Mar 2012
Thu, 15 Mar 2012
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Encyclopaedia Britannica axes print edition, goes all-online
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