Encyclopedia Britannica To Stop Print Edition
Encyclopedia Britannica has announced that it will cease production of its iconic book sets after 244 years.
The Chicago-based company says it will continue to offer digital versions of the encyclopedia.
Britannica president Jorge Cauz said the move is a natural part of his company's evolution.
Cauz has dismissed the talk that rising competition from Wikipedia and Google has affected its decision.
Instead, he says that it has to do with the fact that now, Britannica "sells its digital products to a large number of people".
Still, this is sad news for fans of the printed word.
"Everyone will want to call this the end of an era, and I understand that," adds Cauz.
"But there's no sad moment for us. I think outsiders are more nostalgic about the books than I am."
According to the company, online versions of the encyclopedia now serve more than 100 million people around the world.
“The sales of printed encyclopedias have been neglible for several years,” says Cauz. “We knew this was going to come.”
The company plans to mark the end of the print version by making the contents of its website available free for one week starting Tuesday.
[via Washington Post]
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