Encyclopedia Britannica to Cease Publishing a Print Edition

For those that didn't grow up in the digital age, but adapted for survival, a time where a door-to-door salesman came a knocking trying to sell a set of the Encyclopedia Britannica salesman may be a not-so-distant memory.

At one point the books were the go to for knowledge. Before Google became a verb there were Encyclopedia Britannica sets.

And if the thought never crossed the mind to purchase one, time has run out.

The company announced, last week, the end of the print edition of the iconic reference set. It's moving into the the digital age; an adaptation for survival one would say.

Two Centuries of History

According to a statement on the company's website, the encyclopedia "will cease to be available in book form the first time in 244 years when the current stock runs out."

According to the company, the Encyclopedia Britannica has been a primarily online publication for the past 20 years. For the next week, access will be free to the online edition. 

“The end of the print set is something we’ve foreseen for some time,” said Jorge Cauz, president of Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc. in a statement. “It’s the latest step in our evolution from the print publisher we were, to the creator of digital learning products we are today.”

Supply and Demand

If you'd still like to get your hands on the 32-volume encyclopedia, you can buy the final, 2010 edition online for about $1,400 until supplies run out.  

You can also find a few nearby sets for sale on Craigslist: a 1988 edition in St. Louis and a .

Read the entry on Encyclopedia Britannica on Encyclopedia Britannica.