If you are writing articles online on your website or business blog, I am sure there are times that you want to link definitions of some of the words that you include in your articles.
Like many people you might be using Wikipedia, however despite their coverage of many terms and definitions, and their editing and approval policy, many people are concerned about how robust the definitions are.
On the other hand the Encylopaedia Britiannica has a reputation spanning back to 1768 when it was first published in Scotland - back then in three separate volumes. You might even recall growing up if you a a Gen X’er or Baby Boomer some friends who were lucky enough to have a set of Encylopaedia Britannica in their home study.
Well if you are a web publisher or a blogger, you can now apply for complementary access to their programme called WebShare, where you can link from your articles on line to the definition on Encyclopaedia Britannica.
You can apply for a free pass - be aware that this is a manual process as all applications will be approved and it took 5 working days for my account to be approved.
This is tremendous value as you can purchase the 32 volume Britannica, which has 65,000 articles and 44 million words, for US$1,400 or you can access it on the web for US$70 per year - and if you apply through the Webshare programme you can have FREE access for 12 months.
The Encyclopaedia Britannica Webshare programme has been supported by Shel Holtz who has been guiding the Encylopaedia Britannica team about how best to connect to bloggers about the programme. Encyclopaedia Britannica has even set up a Twitter account.
Not everyone has been complementary about the launch of the programme, however I do think it is worth considering if you are a web publisher or blogger.
Some suggestions I would have for Enclyclopaedia Britannica to further enhance the programme:
- Advise people at the time of registration that it may take a week for the account to be approved - in todays high speed world, that seemed so long to wait I had forgotten I had applied for access
- Review your website structure - it takes a while for the pages on Encyclopaedia Britannica to load and the frames for scrolling are definately not user friendly for those of us used to quick and easy access to information online
- Update your definitions especially relating to Web 2.0 - you have made the service available to bloggers and many of us may be writing articles about Web 2. I could not find definitions online authored by Encyclopaedia Britannica relating to word searches for social media, podcasting, widget - to name but a few. It seems to me that it would have been an astute online editor that would have ensured that definitions were available for these - and perhaps they might have collaborated with Wikipedia to come up with these terms.
However in summary a great programme to have access to and definatley one worth applying for registration if you are a web publisher or blogger.
And to support users, Encylopaedia Britannica has created a video about how to link your article online to the definition on Webshare. You can view it here:
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