ashamama Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 My oldest just turned 6 this week, so I'd love opinions of people with older kids. My mom recently gave me my old set of encyclopedias. They are in wonderful condition, but they may be outdated. The date on them is 1991. I'm trying to decide whether I should keep them or not. They take up so much space that we don't have. I don't recall using them much as a kid though I do remember using them from time to time. I suppose it is good to have a quick reference book set in the house, but if he was really going to do research on a topic, he would need to go to the library anyhow. So if he were going to a library, he could use those encyclopedias. I suppose I can put them away in the closet and see if we feel the need to use them. But I thought I would ask if parents find themselves using the encyclopedia in their homeschooling. Any input is welcome while I decide whether to keep or donate these. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 They're over 20 years old! I bet they still mention the USSR in the present tense! They are painfully outdated, and should be recycled. If you feel it is necessary to have a print encyclopedia rather than, say, a good internet connection and a subscription to Britanica online (which may be available through your library for free), then shell out the money for a new one... if anybody is still making those in dead tree format. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sillymommy Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 I found a 2006 World Book set at a library sale. Got them for $25, but sadly, they sit on the shelf untouched. The kids just hate the idea of looking things up in a book when the iPad is so handy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 Not that kind. We do like having things that are individual "encyclopedias" of various topics - one for history, one for science, one for animals, one for math, one for sports, one for the human body, etc. Some are called encyclopedias and some have other names. But they're full of pictures, made for kids, meant to be browsed. But a traditional 26 volume thing? No way. Not with the internet around. And that one is out of date anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syllieann Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 (edited) I have my old set of childcraft on a low shelf for my kids to use. Is that by chance the set you're talking about? I read mine over and over as a child. I think the atlas is outdated enough that there is no need to keep it. There are some things in the prehistoric animals book that are out of date as well. Overall though, 99% of the info in there is still good. We don't really have the kids look stuff up on the intrnet so for us it has been useful to have them around, especially for looking at diagrams. I also prefer real books to internet because the kids will frequently see something else interesting as they are flipping to the desired page. This inevitably leads them down an educational rabbit trail. So, I guess I'm saying that if you can find the space, save them. If you are tight enough on space that you are frequently forced to use an ebook, then ditch them. Edited January 10, 2016 by Syllieann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 We picked up a 2007 World Book set from our librarian. I haven't used them much for school, but the boys get them off the shelf to look up things all the time. Our internet connection is very bad, and we don't have the newest kind of computer anyway. So ours get used. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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