Is it worth it to buy a set of encyclopedias?

[AttachedMamma]

When I was growing up, we had "The Book of Knowledge" Encyclopedias. I loved referring to them. If someone talked about something and I wanted to learn more, information was just a turn of a page away. What I'm wondering is, in this day and age of information online, whether it's beneficial to have them in your home. If so, how old should your child(ren) be? At least reading age, I suppose.

I know you can find out virtually anything online, but I also like old-fashioned books. :grin Also, the computer can be hard on the eyes. While I certainly see value in utilizing it, I want it to be just one resource for learning, finding info, etc.

I know that encyclopedias can become outdated, but I think they're still a wonderful reference material. However, perhaps they're not worth the cost when the library is a free resource. :shrug

What do you think?

cindi

[Aerynne]

I'd buy some that are already slightly outdated. Instead of 2000 dollars, you could get them for 50 or so used, and most of the info would still be correct (historical figures, the Northern Lights, tigers, photosynthesis, the Civil War, and things like that don't change).

[hsgbdmama]

Ditto on the outdated ones. I was just blessed with a wonderful set from a friend at church who will be moving. :tu

[cobluegirl]

yeah I had a set offered to us once and there are days when I wish I had taken them up on it. If you have a goodwill or something like it they often times have good books. We found some childcraft encyclopedia books there the other night to complete the set we already have. I am still missing #3...hehe..

[Leslie]

We got an old set for $15 at a library sale. Two of my sons have gone through periods where they liked to take a volume to bed to read. If we hadn't had them hanging around the house, they wouldn't have taken them to bed.

[Singingmom]

When I was growing up, our encyclopedia said, "someday we may put a man on the moon..." :giggle We got a kick out of that. Even the outdated parts were good learning opportunities, at least if they were obvious like that. Hmm...You've got me thinking that I need to keep my eyes open for a set. Dh will say that's just what we need in this house -- another shelf full of books!! :P

[AKCristyMJ]

Oh I love ours!!

My dad bought the whole set, harcover with gold edges, when I was a kid.
So they are about 15yrs outdated.
But I LOVED them, I loved reading them.....for fun.....yeah I was weird!

This was pre-internet.

I dunno if my kids will ever have much use for them.

My dad even bought from 1996-2000 the Sports Alamanc series, a science series and a medical discoveries series stating all new or developing discoveries of that year.
We have that set too.

I think tho overall I'd teach my kids to do research via internet and library more than sitting using home Encyclopedias......but it is nice havin em around.

[Senta]

When I was 5 my mom bought a set. I always loved reading them for fun too... I think they got lost in one of our moves though :( We had the 1984 world book encyclopedia set... I think if I were going to buy encyclopedias I'd go for outdated myself. :P The internet works well for new information but encyclopedias would be cool for a lot. I used to write papers on stuff I read in them... oh and once I wrote out all the various rules for sports so I could talk about them with guy friends. haha. I miss my encyclopedias!

[Booklover]

I have a set of 1994 World Books I got at a library sale for $2 (it was $1 a bag day :giggle). My 9 year old has just this past week started reading one volume, since we had to look something up for Language Arts. It's nice to have if you can get a used set cheap at a library sale, but I wouldn't pay full price for one. We also have several Childcraft sets from yard sales or library sales.

[ServingGod]

I agree with the PP's. Id buy slightly outdated. I remember cuddling up with a volume of the encyclopedia, and a mug of hot tea when I was 7ish. I did that for YEARS. Yes, my dad let me drink hot tea. :rolleyes

[AmyDoll]

:nak
http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/messageview.php?catid=18&threadid=539310&highlight_key=y&keyword1=encyclopedia

this deal might be good for u

[phathui5]

I got ours for free from the Book Thing, a free book place in Baltimore (where we are). You could try freecycle, the newspaper, putting a want ad out there for them... there are enough ways to get them for free or next-to-nothing that I wouldn't say to buy them.

[lmgeenw]

i have been thinking about getting a set too. My daughter is always asking me questions about things. We look them up online, but like you said, it is hard to read. I like to just have it there in front of me. I have memories too of just looking through our encyclopedias as a child. I taught myself some sign language one day for fun and looked up things for school all the time. I wasn't sure they even made paper editions anymore. Now that I know they do, I am going to keep my eyes open and maybe pay a visit to Office Depot. :)