Encyclopædia Britannica
The "Britannica" is the English-language encyclopaedia/encyclopedia that was in print for the longest time: it lasted 244 years. It was first published between 1768 and 1771 in the Scottish capital of Edinburgh, as three volumes. (This first edition is available in facsimile.) The encyclopaedia grew in size: the second edition was 10 volumes, and by its fourth edition (1801–1810) it had expanded to 20 volumes. Its rising stature as a scholarly work helped recruit eminent contributors, and the 9th (1875–1889) and 11th editions (1911) are landmark encyclopaedias for scholarship and literary style. Beginning with the 11th edition and following its acquisition by an American firm, the "Britannica" shortened and simplified articles to broaden its appeal to the North American market. In 1933, the "Britannica" became the first encyclopaedia to adopt "continuous revision", in which the encyclopaedia is continually reprinted, with every article updated on a schedule. In March 2012, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. announced it would no longer publish printed editions, and would focus instead on "Encyclopædia Britannica Online".
Japanese encyclopedias
After World War II, Heibonsha responded to Japan's new internationalization by publishing the "Sekai Dai-Hyakka Jiten" (, the "Great World Encyclopedia") in 32 volumes, between 1955 and 1959. Shogakukan then published the 19-volume "Encyclopedia Japonica", Japan's first full-color reference work, between 1967 and 1972. Between 1970 and 1974, Gakushu Kenkyusha published a 21-volume encyclopedia, the "Gurando Gendai Hyakka Jiten" (, the "Great Modern Encyclopedia"). In 1974 and 1975, a 30-volume Japanese version of the "Encyclopædia Britannica", the "Buritanica Kokusai Hyakka Jiten" (, the "Britannica International Encyclopedia"), was also published in Japan. In 1984, Heibonsha returned with a 16-volume compilation, the "Dai-Hyakka Jiten" (, the "Great Encyclopedia"), and Shogakukan began publishing a 25-volume encyclopedia, the "Nihon Dai-Hyakka Zensho" (, literally, the "Japan Comprehensive Encyclopedia," but officially known by the English title, "Encyclopedia Nipponica") the same year, finishing in 1989. A second edition was published in 1994. Various children's encyclopedias were also published in the 1950s and 1960s.