Old Familiar Memories - Photo 169

Encyclopedia Britannica

My Mom told us she wanted us to use the public library because the Encyclopedia Britannica was always outdated. Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc. is a Scottish-founded, now American company best known for publishing the Encyclopedia Britannica, the world's oldest continuously published encyclopedia.

In 1920, the trademark and publication rights were sold to Sears Roebuck, which held them until 1943, when ownership passed to William Benton.

Starting in 1936, a new printing of the encyclopedia was published each year, incorporating the latest changes and updates. In 1938, the first edition of the Britannica Book of the Year appeared. This annual supplement is still published today. The company declared bankruptcy in late 1995; in January 1996, the company was purchased by billionaire Swiss financier Jacqui Safra for $136 million, though this was far less than the CEO, Joseph J. Esposito, had hoped.