New York, NY (August 17, 2004) -- In 1829, the first U.S. patent for a typewriter was issued, the first Braille book became available, and Encyclopedia Americana, the first general encyclopedia published in North America, was released. In 2004, celebrating its 175th anniversary, the Encyclopedia Americana - published by Scholastic Library Publishing under the highly regarded Grolier® imprint - remains an invaluable resource and an essential research tool for millions of middle and high school students, keeping them up-to-date on current and historical events and topics.
 
To adapt to the new ways in which people use reference today, and to keep pace with the speed of information in the age of the World Wide Web, Encyclopedia Americana, which was originally published as a 13-volume work, has grown to encompass 30 volumes and, in 1996, was introduced online through Grolier Online, the leading Web portal for school and library reference users (http://go.grolier.com).
 
Encyclopedia Americana, which was revised far less often in the 19th century than it is today, now undergoes constant revision and updating in order to stay current. More than 2,500 articles are revised each year in the online edition and 1,200 are revised in print. The online edition also includes the Americana Journal, which features over 60,000 illustrated searchable events in the news -- new ones being added weekly -- as well as links to thousands of authoritative articles, maps, flags, Web sites, and other resources.
 
“It is critical that students recognize the difference between 'searching' and 'researching,' and have access to accurate and comprehensive information,” said Greg Worrell, President, Scholastic Library Publishing. “We are excited and honored to celebrate the success of Encyclopedia Americana, which for the past 175 years has consistently offered reliable in-depth information that is highly academic, yet readable and entertaining and is now better than ever.”
 
Fascinating World Facts Then and Now:
Global population
1829 - 1.1 billion
2004 - 6.2 billion
 
Fastest travel method
1829 - Horseback (40 mph/64 kph)
2004 - Space Vehicle (24,800 mph/39,900 kph)
 
Tallest man-made structure in the world
1829 - Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt (450 ft/137m)
2004 - The Canadian National (CN) Tower, Toronto, Canada (1,815 ft/553 m)
 
Major source of information
1829 - Newspapers, broadsides (public notices), word of mouth
2004 - World Wide Web, mass media
 
For art work and past covers please contact Teodora Ignatova / 212-343-6402 / tignatova@scholastic.com.
 
Since its introduction in 1996, Encyclopedia Americana Online has undergone numerous changes. In 2000, a global search feature was added to the Grolier Online Web site, allowing students to search multiple encyclopedia databases, including the Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia®, the New Book of Knowledge®, the New Book of Popular Science, and Lands and Peoples. In 2002, the online edition of the Encyclopedia Americana was fully redesigned and supplemented with:
· an expanded version of the Americana Journal, presenting feature stories, teacher resources, and links to original news sources;
· Editors' Picks, providing lively essays on notable events and topics, with Web links; and,
· feature biographies, a selection from among the tens of thousands of biographical entries in the encyclopedia.
 
In addition, a text-only version of the Encyclopedia Americana that enables users with disabilities to access the full contents of the database, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), was created in 2002--an accomplishment that was the first of its kind for encyclopedias published online.
 
Scholastic Library Publishing creates a multitude of products, both in print and online, for the school and public library market under the imprints of Grolier®, Children's Press®, Franklin Watts®, and Grolier Online^TM. Children's Press offers primarily non-fiction series for elementary and middle schools, while Franklin Watts focuses on non-fiction for the high school market. Grolier publishes encyclopedias and is best known for the brands Encyclopedia Americana and The New Book of Knowledge. Grolier Online is a self-contained, non-commercial electronic gateway offering thousands of resources for student research, including the Encyclopedia Americana Online, The New Book of Knowledge Online and the Spanish language encyclopedia Cumbre en linea™ - serving more than 18 million students and teachers.
 
About Scholastic
Scholastic Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHL) is the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books. Scholastic creates quality educational and entertaining materials and products for use in school and at home, including children's books, magazines, technology-based products, teacher materials, television programming, film, videos and toys. The Company distributes its products and services through a variety of channels, including proprietary school-based book clubs, school-based book fairs, and school-based and direct-to-home continuity programs; retail stores, schools, libraries, and television networks; and the Company's Internet Site, www.scholastic.com .

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