New Encyclopedia Britannica. (Academic edition)

*The Wheaton College library does not house a print version: patrons can utilize this resource via online access.

 

Authority: Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc. was originally established in Scotland in the 1700’s before reaching Chicago, IL. Printed products of Britannica sets were owned by leading historical figures such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Alexander Hamilton.  Today, its products range in diversity, in order to accommodate for technological needs. ** Codie Award Finalist for “Best Education Reference or Search Service” and Codie Award Winner for “Best Online Consumer Information Service.”

Scope: Over 75,000 articles, including 23,000 biographies. Full text articles from over 700 magazines and periodicals. Links to over 166,000 websites. Over 27,000 images and maps.

Format: Main page can be divided into three sections. Left side has “Research tools”: the index, A-Z browse, subject browse, world atlas, compare countries, timelines, the year in review browse, world data, video browse, and notable quotations. The middle portion gives users the option to review highlights, the biography of the day, or the day in history. Left side column has features news links from the New York Times, the BBC News, and SBS News. Finally, across the top pf the main screen in a search box, followed by a link to conduct and advanced search. The guided tour section explains the format of the website and provides explanations of each section. The workspace feature allows user to create personal webpages to house articles for research projects.

Entries: Entries are in the format of an article. Users can switch to printable version or email themselves the article. Each entry gives users the option to submit comments or questions. Links to related topics within the article are underlined and written in blue text.

Special Feature: Users are instructed on how to cite each article site they visit in both MLA and APA style format.

Overall Evaluation: I was disappointed when I first looked for this set at the library, only to find that we only had an online version. It seems like libraries, as a whole, are straying away from print material in favor of the comparable online version. However, in this instance, I can understand why the online version of New Encyclopedia Britannica would be a worthwhile investment. The online version features daily updates that would not be possible in a print version. In addition to a “highlights” section, the website also contains a “biography of the day” feature and a “this day in history” section.” Similarly, links to the New York Times, BBC News, and SBS World News are provided. Invaluable reference, as the online version goes beyond the realm of print articles by providing users with websites, magazine and periodical articles, news, and more.

 

http://www.britannica.com

Authority: Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc. was originally established in Scotland in the 1700’s before reaching Chicago, IL. Printed products of Britannica sets were owned by leading historical figures such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Alexander Hamilton.  Today, its products range in diversity, in order to accommodate for technological needs.

Scope: Over 122,264 articles, world atlas, dictionary and thesaurus. Articles from over 403 magazines and journals. The scope does not appear to be as large as the online academic version, which was evaluated earlier.

Format: Two search engines: Britannica online and dictionary/thesaurus. There are similarities between this website and the online academic version of The New Encyclopedia Britannica. For example: highlights pages, this day in history section, biography of the day. This page is busier. There are more advertisements and images. Box on main screen flashes images of different articles continuously. Link to a free trial (subscriptions necessary). In addition to a link to the home screen, there are links to blog, advocacy, board, newsletters, international, and store.

Entries: The entries vary depending on whether or not users are members. For nonusers, there are concise versions of limited resulting articles. Members have access to the full text. In order to promote membership, a pictorial graph compares what members using the free trial have access to versus the materials accessible to members. The style of entries is the same as that found in the online academic version on New Encyclopedia Britannica.

Special Feature: Student center targeted for children nine years and older. Sections include: student encyclopedia, world atlas and timelines, research tools (how to write a science report, book review, research paper, and prepare for an oral presentation), video and multimedia, dictionary and thesaurus, and magazines and web guide.
Overall Evaluation: Subscriptions cost $69.95. This subscription appears to be a more worthwhile investment than the printed version of the set. Users have access to more articles, websites, and news – related features than in the print version. A worthy investment for libraries; however, it is not as comprehensive as the online academic version.

 

Random House Encyclopedia. Rev. 3d. ed. New York: Random House, 1990.  

Authority: Based in New York City, Random House was founded in 1927 by Bennett Cerf and Donald Klopfer. The company first began reference publishing in 1947, when it published American College Dictionary, followed by its first unabridged dictionary in 1966.

Scope: 13,500 illustrations in the special “Colorpedia” section (pictures, paintings, photographs, diagrams, illustrations, drawings, maps and charts).
Format: Over 2,000 pages. Color images. 132 page world atlas. “Alphapedia,” “Colorpedia,” “Time Chart” and atlas/gazetteer sections.

Entries: Double pages; connection section for each entry. Limited information.
Overall Evaluation: Given the fact that the most recent edition was published in 1990, this is not a book necessary for a library. Similarly, since all of the information is in a single volume set, it cannot possibly be as thorough as other brands of encyclopedias. Used copies can be purchased on Amazon.com for as little as $5.00. Depending on one’s resources, it would not hurt to invest in a nicer edition of a used copy (to simply have on hand at home); however, with the amount of information that is now available online (most offering free trials), it is certainly not a necessity.

 

World Book Encyclopedia. http://www.worldbook.com/

* I was surprised that I could not locate a print nor online version of this set. Therefore, my evaluation is the result of reviewing the website.

Authority: World Book was founded in 1917. Its headquarters are located in Chicago, Illinois.  It is a leading provider of reference materials for both adults and children. World Book Encyclopedia is the number one selling print encyclopedia in the world. The company produces over 90 reference materials, including World Book Student Discovery Encyclopedia, Animals of the World, World Book's Science & Nature Guides, Student Discovery Science Encyclopedia, Encyclopedia of Flags, Solar System & Space Exploration Library, Human Body Works, and Biographical Connections

Scope: An online subscription gives users access to all of the articles found in the print edition and thousands more (25,000 articles). Similarly, the online version contains over 9,500 pictures and maps, 115 videos and animations, 9,300 sounds, and over 100 simulated historic websites. Subscriptions also entitle users access World Book Kids.
Format: Main screen has lots of link to choose from: a school and libraries site, link to World Book Kids, a trivia question of the day, most popular encyclopedia articles, media showcase, today in history, typical course of study (for parents), content spotlight section, world climates, a “did you know?” section, a section to browse, the World Book dictionary, World Book Atlas, a section for international users, and the World Book newsletter. The store link allows user to peruse and purchase all World Book products.

Entries: Non subscribers have limited access to articles. The articles that I was able to view appeared to be lengthy and thorough. Some included pictures. The language is easy to understand. At the end of each article is a colored box with text that prompts users to subscribe to World Book, in order to learn more. A comparison in the form of a pie chart compares how information subscribers have access to versus non subscribers.
Overall Evaluation: Interested subscribers can choose from three plan options: 1 year for $49.95, 1 month for $9.95, $3.95. Given the scope of coverage, the online version is a much more worthwhile investment than the print set. Free trials do not appear to be an option, most likely because a three day trial is so inexpensive. Although the website was user friendly and informative, The New Encyclopedia Britannica appears to be a better investment. It has over 122,000 articles, while the World Book boasts having 25,000. Similarly, a subscription to the New Encyclopedia Britannica entitles users to more news-related links, while the World Book only advertises access to World Book Kids.