After 244 Years, Encyclopædia Britannica Stops the Presses

[Strangler Lewis]

Originally Posted by Cadaverous Pallor

Back in 2001 or so I was taking Library Science classes and learning the finer points of old school reference work, using seriously thick tomes to look up simple things like what films Marilyn Monroe was in, then having to switch to different volumes to follow the career of any of her costars, and using entirely different books to look up detail on the films themselves...I was already used to digital card catalog programs and imdb and was rather surprised at how complicated it all was. The second realization is that I was studying a nearly dead science, and that it wouldn't be long before it crumbled away.

It is a shame in many respects, but it's only because of the amazing availability of information, and that's an overwhelmingly positive thing.

Well, sure, if you're only interested in results, but you can't beat the archeological thrill of immersion in the Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature and various microfiches and microfilms.