About Us

OUR MISSION:
To enhance learning and reading for children around the world by developing trustworthy, engaging content to create products that will engage children of all ages at home, on the go, in the classroom or in libraries worldwide. We aspire to establish World Book as a renowned, global, adaptive, and mission-driven enterprise that helps kids learn and read throughout their entire childhood journey.

WORLD BOOK DIFFERENCE:
Education is World Book’s commitment and its editorial team is World Book’s strength. Each team member is dedicated to producing accurate and unbiased information by utilising contemporary technological tools and following traditional practices of editorial excellence. For more than 100 years, World Book has promoted learning for the entire family through a range of products in which complex topics are concisely explained and vividly illustrated. An explicit goal is to help increase both reading fluency and comprehension in young readers. Encyclopedic content is updated continually and accessible 24/7 on a variety of devices. Innovative and readable, World Book will remain a trusted and useful resource at home, in the library, and in the classroom for years to come.

WORLD BOOK STORY – SINCE 1917:
Our story began in 1917 with the publication of the very first World Book Encyclopedia. Since its early days, World Book has been relentless in the pursuit of educational excellence. Over time, World Book has expanded its product line well beyond its renowned encyclopedia. We now offer a broad range of award-winning products tailored to the educational requirements of all age groups, including age-appropriate titles on nature, geography, the environment, different cultures, early learning, and science.

GREAT WRITING:
World Book editors specialise in specific subject areas and are responsible for different articles accordingly. The editors regularly monitor both online and printed general and scholarly sources of information about their assigned subject areas to capture meaningful advances with respect to existing articles and to learn about trends, discoveries, and the like that prompt the writing of new articles.

World Book engages over 6,000 scholars and other internationally recognised experts as contributors, authenticators, reviewers, and consultants for the vast reaches of information we print. Experts include university professors, NASA scientists and Nobel Prize winners.

Thousands of updates are made to existing World Book articles each year, but editors are judicious in their revisions. New information about a subject may become available, but adding it to an existing article may not meaningfully change the accuracy or utility of the article as it is. One of the characteristics of our articles is concision, which is key to the efficiency of the research process. Adding extraneous or gratuitous information to an article can impair concision and efficiency and may not facilitate understanding.

A list of expert contributors can be found at the bottom of each World Book Online article and printed inside all World Book print publications.

FACT CHECKING AT WORLD BOOK:
Fact checking of new and extensively revised encyclopedia articles and the text of publications such as Animals of the World is one of the jobs of World Book’s Research Department. Separating the fact-checking process from the work of the subject editors helps to increase objectivity. A department of 8 full-time researchers supports the work of editors who are updating existing articles, seeking background for new articles, or preparing new publications such as Animals. The researchers also respond to inquiries from readers.

In fact checking, questioning virtually every word is the key. Researchers check statements of fact, claims, explanations, and descriptions. Material generally is verified in at least three independent reliable sources, excluding other general encyclopedias. Many of these sources can be found in World Book’s in-house reference library. In some cases, fact checking will require the use of sources in addition to or other than those available in-house.

EARLY LEARNING:
World Book has shared parents’ and teachers’ concerns about quality education. We know first-hand that parents of young children are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of early learning and the need to take an active part in their children’s education.

To find out how parents can help young children become happy, successful students, World Book conducted a survey to determine what kinds of early learning experiences, skills, and knowledge infant teachers feel children need to be prepared for school.

The results identify 93 desirable readiness skills that will help young children get off to a good start when school begins.

NASA SELECTS WORLD BOOK:
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has selected World Book as the provider of encyclopedic content to its website. The agreement allows NASA to feature World Book articles related to astronomy and space exploration on its website. NASA also will provide World Book with photos and videos from its media library for use on the World Book Online Reference Centre, World Book’s subscription site.

FORWARD LEARNING PTY LTD:
Forward Learning Pty Ltd is the World Book Distributor for Australia & New Zealand
Level 2, 360 Pacific Highway
Crows Nest NSW 2065
Phone: 02 9902 3400
Fax: 02 9439 4289

Postal Address:
PO Box 450
Crows Nest NSW 1585