Encyclopedias a thing of the past?

I think no. Encyclopedias are very good!!!!! There are many things you can find in as encyclopedia you'll never find in Internet for example!!!!!!! I think it's very good and can help us so much nowadays!!!!!!

Generations these days really are very dependent on the net when researching for a certain topic for school or on their own. I know how to use it as I grew up in an age where there is no internet yet. But for now, I think with the net in existence there is virtually no need of the encyclopedia when doing a research. Wikipedia is some kind of an online encyclopedia and the information you get there is really wide and the references it has is also available on the net too.

Ohhh yeah, I remember those things! I had to use them a lot and I would always get in trouble for leaving them in stacks instead of putting them back on the shelf! Some years ago, there was a door to door salesman at my door (before I had any knowledge of computers & the internet) and we were going to buy a set, we signed the paperwork and everything and after the guy left, I was reading how much the set would cost altogether! I read the small print and found out I could cancel the agreement within three business days and that's what I done! Those things were expensive! My parents wanted to give me their set and I didn't want it....library cards didn't take up as much space & I could always use the set my parents had as long as they didn't give them to someone else! Glad I don't have to worry about the encyclopedia salesmen these days, they were tough to say no to!!

Hi mac, One can never be sure if it is a good thing or bad . I personally feel that books and computers have their own importance and we need to teach the children to use them the way they are meant to be used. I have kept every single knowledge book that I bought for my children over the years ,when they were growing up including different kinds of Atlas, Encyclopedias,general knowledge books,fiction etc; and they love going through them, when they come down for their holidays.I too am constantly going through them and lend them to other children when there is need.I am all for books and Encycyclopedias...

I realise that encyclopedias aren't really that necessary in these modern times but the fact they didn't even know what one was surprises me. However, with the internet being todays alternative it is much easier to get false information. Even big sites like wikipedia get stuff wrong sometimes :)

Encyclopedias are still very much a thing of the present, and will continue to be for years to come. However, if the encyclopedias you mentioned are those thick, hard cover volumes, then maybe they could really be a thing of the past. Nowadays, almost every household has a computer. Manufacturers see this as an opportunity to produce encyclopedias in a much cheaper way - in CD or DVD formats. Firstly, it is definitely welcomed by environmentalists to go green. Secondly, one can simply carry the entire volume of encyclopedias on CDs and DVDs whenever he goes. No sweat about it. Thirdly, you don't have to specially purchases bookshelves to store those thick volumes, so you save storage space as a result. Last but not least, it is a breeze looking up stuff in these electronic encyclopedias. Just type in the keyword(s) at the search textbox and voila! The info you need appears right in front of your eyes.

Encyclopedia are still very useful in our time now. In our world today,children as young at their age must be equipped with knowledge on how to use the encyclopedia. For me, these bulky books are really helpful in searching for some learning that our brain needs.