Britannica to Stop Printing Encyclopedias

CHICAGO (AP) - Encyclopaedia Britannica Inc. says it will stop publishing print editions of its flagship encyclopedia.

The Chicago-based company announced Tuesday that the encyclopedia won't be available in book form for the first time in 244 years. The company will continue to publish digital versions.

Encyclopaedia Britannica President Jorge Cauz says the company has foreseen "the end of the print set" for some time.

The company says ending the print edition of the 32-volume encyclopedia is the latest step in a move toward digital publishing and expanding its range of educational products. The Encyclopaedia Britannica was first published in Scotland in 1768.

Cauz says top year for the printed encyclopedia was 1990, when 120,000 sets were sold. He says that number fell to 40,000 in 1996.