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Door To Door Encyclopedia Salesmen

March 28, 2012 by · Comments Off on Door To Door Encyclopedia Salesmen 

Door To Door Encyclopedia Salesmen, Collectors, bookworms, and analog antique aficionados, act now: the 2010 edition of the legendary Encyclopaedia Britannica – weighing in at 129 pounds, and comprising 32 volumes – is officially the last of its kind.

The New York Times reports Chicago-based Encyclopaedia Britannica Inc. will no longer manufacture a print edition of the iconic reference omnibus. Instead, the company plans to focus on its online and educational materials.

According to Encyclopaedia Britannica Inc. president, Jorge Cauz, the move is a reflection of the times, although he admits it’s one tinged with nostalgia for many.

Possession of the weighty series was once seen as an admission ticket to the middle class; today, the World Wide Web has largely rendered the book version of Encylopaedia Britannica a paper-era dinosaur. While the last edition contained contributions from over 4000 authors, only 8,000 of 12,000 printed sets have actually been sold to date.  Perhaps news of the end of the offline era of the encyclopedia will spur sales.

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