Re: To Purchase or not to purchase encyclopedias

[Laura Mason <lmason@NSHELBY.K12.MO.US>]

I too debated about buying a print encyclopedia.  I finally decided to go
with the 2000 World Book.  Our current print encyclopedia is a 1987
version--most recent one that is.

I think that students need to know how to use a print encyclopedia.  I have
at least one in my elementary library as well as my jr./sr. high library.

Part of this goes back to the days in school where I would be bored so I'd
just look through the encyclopedia.  Of course, that was in a rural school
where you had two classes together; but I see bored students today.  Print
encyclopedias are great browsing volumes.

Also, with the print you get nice color pictures or at least black and
white.  We don't have that many color printers to copy out all the pictures
in the CD encyclopedias.

However, it is ridiculous how cheaply one can obtain an encyclopedia.  Kraft
cheese offered the 99 Groliers (I believe) on a CD it you were willing to
pay $3.99 for a pound of sliced cheese!  That's cheap information access.

Nonetheless, I plan to buy a new print encyclopedia every year or every
other year for as long as I can find them.


Laura Mason, Librarian/Grant Coordinator
Shelby County C-1 Schools
3071 Highway 15
Shelbyville, Mo.  63469-2225
lmason@nshelby.k12.mo.us
573-633-2410
FAX - 573-633-2138

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