Have you heard the news?
Encyclopedia Britannica will no longer be publishing a print edition. I knew it was coming, but still I feel sadness.
I remember the joy I had curled up on the floor with my mom's old Compton's. Then when I was in junior high my folks invested in a Colliers, and I was in ecstasy to have my "own" encyclopedia, and not having to go to the library.
As I have written before, this was in the mid 1960s, and the section on bomb shelters went on for almost 40 pages. Back then the idea was that people could survive anything but a direct hit. Probably not true even then, but it made us feel better to think we had a chance. Of course, Rochester, with Kodak doing all its secret military research and manufacturing, was probably not the safest place to be. Those of us who lived here then knew little about all that research, but I wouldn't want to wager on the other side not having a suspicion or two.
At any rate, we have some beautiful Encyclopedia Americana Annuals, dated 1980s to early 2000s. I truly mean these HC are in wonderful shape. Please come and take them home with you. It is a lonely time to be an encyclopedia annual these days. Of course we would like to keep the family together, but if you only can care for a couple, or even just one, at least we will know that there is one we don't worry about.
