Encyclopedia Britannica announced on 3/13/12 that its 2010 print edition will be its last:

Washington Post Article

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TIME Article

Although I’ll always cherish the nostalgic memories of my youthful Syosset Public Library visits as I thumbed through those burgundy volumes, it’s time to usher in new, valuable sources of information - web 2.0 and social media.

Not too long ago, the internet was largely “one-sided.”  Experts created websites on a topic that we visited, read, and left.  With the dawn of sites like Wikipedia, Twitter and YouTube (sites comprised entirely of user-contributed content), the web is not only shifting in form, but also changing the way in which we learn and communicate with each other.  The Wikipedia blackout on January 18th, in protest of SOPA, not only got people thinking and talking with one another, but more importantly, it sparked government interest in reconsidering its proposed legislation.  Everyone now has a voice and a meaningful, easy way to contribute knowledge and innovation - the internet, as we know it today, is our new Encyclopedia Britannica.

When I wanted to discover more about renewable sources of energy, I first searched Wikipedia.  When I want to share effective educational strategies and learn ways I can do my job more efficiently, I blast a ‘tweet’ on Twitter, receiving feedback from administrators and educators from all around the world.  When I decide to finally give Origami a try, I’ll head over to YouTube for a video tutorial.  There’s a wealth of information out there, so let’s not turn a blind eye to the elephant in the room, but instead welcome these sources and use them safely and appropriately.  A school principal in Vancouver recently tweeted, “By banning risk in schools, we teach students either to fear nothing, or fear everything.” I could not agree more.

So as we close that last volume of Encyclopedia Britannica, let’s open a new chapter in learning; let’s embrace our connectivity to both human discovery, and to, well…other humans.

- Written by Ryan Fisk