Would you keep a set of 1968 Encyclopedia Britannicas? - Page 2

[CCJWGM]

Not only would I keep it: I DO keep one. I have two encylopedia sets. One from the 20's and one from the 60's. I also have 40 years worth of "book of the year" ranging from 40's to 70's. Phew....it's a lot of books but fun to look up and see the point of view from a different era.

And yes, DH has actually successfully used them as a source for a college class.

[chfriend]

I'd cut up the 1968 encyclopedia for time line figures.

Wikipedia is, of course, hit or miss. However, just last night I read the "Michael Collins" entry to get some insights into the civil war that followed the Irish war for freedom from English rule.

[Annie Mac]

You could keep them, but not necessarily use them as encyclopedias. I have a friend who, some years back, bought an entire set of law books. Big, heavy, hardcover things (like encyclopedias). Then she made book shelves out of them. I wish I had a picture. They were pretty cool.

Your kids might like them. Books are eminently more browseable than the internet. I remember spending hours at school just looking through the encyclopedias and dictionaries, not looking for anything in particular, but seeing if anything caught my eye. It might be a good jumping off point for something they didn't know they were interested in. If I had the space, I'd keep them.

[chfriend]

Bookshelves made from books:

http://www.thisintothat.com/secondeditions.php

[hopefulfaith]

Okay, those shelves are really cool.

The thing of it is, I love to browse encyclopedias and dictionaries and maps and stuff. I will own the OED someday... I just couldn't decide if I wanted to keep the space for an older reference that my kids may never use and that wouldn't be valid for reference papers and all. I tend toward over-decluttering/minimalism, but I have a soft spot for books and reference materials.

Hmmm. I'm still conflicted.

[lach]

Originally Posted by hopefulfaith

Okay, those shelves are really cool.

The thing of it is, I love to browse encyclopedias and dictionaries and maps and stuff. I will own the OED someday... I just couldn't decide if I wanted to keep the space for an older reference that my kids may never use and that wouldn't be valid for reference papers and all. I tend toward over-decluttering/minimalism, but I have a soft spot for books and reference materials.

Hmmm. I'm still conflicted.

They're not going to publish the OED in print anymore I'm so sad. That's been, like, one of my biggest life dreams for years and years!

[rsps]

If I had space I would. Growing up we had a 1918 World Book, as well as a more recent encyclopedia. The old World Book was beautiful to look at as well full of interesting ideas from the era.

[momofmine]

Originally Posted by chfriend

Bookshelves made from books:

http://www.thisintothat.com/secondeditions.php

LOVE THIS!!!

[onyxravnos]

i have a mid 80s set. I would keep them lots of things change or new information is added but a lot stays the same. the fall of the roman empire or the basics of life in ancient egypt isn't going to change. They provide a good jumping off point for more research and a great to just flip through and go 'Oooooo gee i wanna know more about THAT?'

[Annie Mac]

Originally Posted by hopefulfaith

I will own the OED someday.

Oh yeah! Me too! Somehow I can't justify the cost of an online subscription, but if I come across an actual print edition that's reasonably in date, I'm so getting it. Maybe even not reasonably in date.

As an OED aside, has anyone here read The Professor and the Madman. It's a fictionalized true (that's an oxymoron, isn't it?) account of how the OED came to be. Fascinating.

[Momma Aimee]

Originally Posted by hopefulfaith

Disclaimer: I'm not a "real" homeschooler. My ds entered kindy this year at a small school (62 kids, K-12), but we have always done an enormous amount of learning at home to this point and that is what this post is about.

So, I was given a set of 1968 Encyclopedia Britannicas.

They're a bit outdated, but it is a complete set and it is the E.B.

The people who gave them to us said "We know you do a lot at home, and these will help your kids learn to "look things up", so here you go."

I'm not sure if I want to keep them until the kids are of age to independently look stuff up and all, but I can't decide if I will regret it if I get rid of them.

Do you find that outdated resources like this are still usable to you in hs'ing, or am I wasting energy and space?

Thanks!

YES __ I'd keep them HS or not --

I HEART old books.

I got special recogization in high school in 1990 for doing a paper on -- not child care -- but the difference in the "expert" voice in childcare -- i compared my mom's 1964 text books and a set of 1950's reference books at my grandparent's with "current" stuff --

they are HISTORY themselves, yes keep them

[Dillpicklechip]

I would keep them, if I lived in a bigger house than we did now. I think they would be a great resource in terms of seeing how society's ideas have changed throughout the decades. And in another 20 years, just think how much fun they will be to read.