I'm not sure of the protocol for mourning the loss of an American icon so I created a memorial of my own. Do you think draping my bookcase in black shows sufficient respect for the passing of Encyclopedia Britannica?
The Britannica announced last week that it will be available on-line only. According to the editor -- interviewed on NPR -- Wikipedia and Internet search engines didn't influence the decision, but there might be a tad of the Pinocchio in that statement. .
Personally, I've never fully trusted the on-line sources. I can't shake the image of a guy uploading an entry in his pajamas with twelve cats padding across the keyboard. On the other hand, someone who writes for Britannica smokes a pipe and wears a jacket with leather patches on the elbows.
When we were growing up, the Britannica was a staple in most homes. Just having a set gave the impression that your family was worldly and cared about education. No one need know they were used more for booster seats than research.
Maybe it's time to take a trip to the attic. Those old editions gathering dust up there might soon be collectibles.
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