Encyclopaedia Britannica recently announced that they would no longer produce a print encyclopedia set; they’re moving to online only. This is a very big deal since they have been publishing print sets since 1768.
The JHU Libraries have several editions of Encyclopaedia Britannica, if you feel nostalgic. Four different editions are available in the General Reference Collection on M level (call no: AE5.E36).
But never fear! Encyclopaedia Britannica has a wonderful online site and offers many different tools you should explore.
- Compare Countries lets you compare the basic statistical and geographic information of two countries. They also link you back to their longer articles about those countries.
- Timelines lets you look at the development of different areas of thought like religion, music, medicine, or science. Again, you can click through to their longer articles.
- World Data Analyst gives you overview information about countries, plus the ability to create tables, charts, statistical rankings, and more country comparisons.
In addition to those great tools, Encyclopaedia Britannica online offers guides to popular subjects (like D Day, Black History, and Shakespeare), videos, a world atlas, great pictures, and tons of reliable, verified information.
Personally, I don’t think I’ll miss the print edition much!