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Even though many people eschew the use of the text versions of encyclopedias for the faster and more convenient online versions, the wonder and excitement of browsing through the weighty and comprehensive tomes of a REAL Encyclopaedia Britannica cannot be underestimated!
Members will find a variety of dictionaries, and our beloved Encyclopaedia Britannica, back on the 3rd floor of the Library, easily accessible on shelves facing the computer stations. There is deliberateness about that placement: the tried-and-true meets its digital match.
Encyclopaedia Britannica
REF 030 E557 2010
We are proud to own a set of the last ever print edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica. Published in 2010, it is beautifully bound, with gilded edges and a spine too lovely to cover with a call number label. It contains over 40 million words on more than a half million topics, and includes color illustrations. Its Propaedia, dedicated to both President Obama and Queen Elizabeth, could be a map of our library as it outlines all of human knowledge. What an inspiration for browsing!
Encyclopaedia Britannica : a dictionary of arts, sciences, literature and general information
REF 030 E557 1911
Shelved nearby is the 11th edition, which marks the transition from British to American publication of the continuously updated encyclopedia. Published in 1911, librarians have always rated this edition as the best due to its scholarship and literary style. It is, however over 100 years old now, missing almost the entirety of information gained in the twentieth century. It is no longer under copyright and can be downloaded free from Project Gutenberg to your eBook reader or home computer.
The Oxford English Dictionary (2nd edition)
REF 423 098e
The OED is the definitive English language reference book. It was published in 1989 and is comprised of 20 volumes; there are 291,500 entries and 615,100 defined word forms.
A Dictionary of American English (4 volumes) by Sir William A. Craigie
REF 423 C88
This four volume set was published between 1938 and 1944. It is a dictionary of English words and phrases used by Americans in the United States from when the first settlements were established by the English until the start of the 20th century.
