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{{Infobox Writer <!-- for more information see [[:Template:Infobox Writer/doc]] -->
| name        = Warren E. Preece
| birthname = Warren Eversleigh Preece
| birthdate = {{birth date|1921|4|17|mf=y}}
| birthplace = [[Norwalk, Connecticut]], [[United States]]
| deathdate  = {{death date and age|2007|4|11|1921|4|17|mf=y}}
| deathplace = [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]], [[United States]]
| occupation  = Editor, Encyclopedist
| nationality = [[United States|American]]
| period      = 1948-1979
| genre       = Nonfiction
}}

'''Warren Eversleigh Preece''' (April 17, 1921 – April 11, 2007) was editor of ''[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]'' from 1964 to 1975, during the development of "Britannica 3" (the 15th edition). This 28-volume edition separated the content into three parts, the ''[[Propædia]]'' (Outline of Knowledge), ''[[Micropædia]]'' (Ready Reference) and ''[[Macropædia]]'' (Knowledge in Depth).<ref name="preece-eb">"Preece, Warren E." ''Encyclopædia Britannica 2006 Ultimate Reference Suite DVD''.</ref>

Preece was born in [[Norwalk, Connecticut]] and educated at [[Dartmouth College]]. He graduated [[Phi Beta Kappa]] with a B.A. in 1943. After serving with the U.S. Army in the Philippines in World War II, he earned an M.A. degree from [[Columbia University]] in 1947.

Before joining ''Britannica'' he worked as a newspaper reporter and copy editor, an English teacher, and public relations director for U.S. Senator [[Thomas Dodd]] of Connecticut. 

In 1957 he was hired by [[William Benton (senator)|William Benton]], publisher of ''Britannica'', as secretary to the board of editors. In 1964 he became editor of the encyclopedia. He held this position (with an interruption in 1968-69, the year of the ''Britannica's'' [[Bicentennial of the Encyclopædia Britannica|bicentennial]]) until 1975, the year after the publication of the 15th edition. The 15th edition was a major change in the encyclopedia, and Preece was an important figure in its development. After his resignation as editor, he continued to serve as vice chairman of the board of editors until 1979.

He was coauthor of ''The Technological Order'' (1962) and a contributor to ''Britannica'', notably on the topic of higher education.<ref name="preecetech">Preece, Warren E. A Report of the Discussion. ''Technology and Culture'', Vol. 3, No. 4, Proceedings of the ''Encyclopaedia Britannica'' Conference on the Technological Order (Autumn, 1962), pp. 466-485.</ref>  He was also associated with the [[Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions]] in [[Santa Barbara, California]].<ref name="reeves">Reeves, Richard (June 13, 1967). U.S. Think Tanks: In Santa Barbara Dialogue Is the Thing. ''[[New York Times]]''</ref>

He died on April 11, 2007 of heart failure in [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]].<ref name="nytobit">
{{cite news| last = Fox| first = Margalit| title = Warren E. Preece, 85, Who Revamped Encyclopedia Britannica, Dies| url = http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/14/us/14preece.html| publisher = [[New York Times]]| date = 14 April 2007}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[History of the Encyclopædia Britannica]]
* [[William Benton (senator)|William Benton]], owner of the ''Britannica'' through most of Preece's tenure
* [[Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{cite encyclopedia| year = 2007| title = Warren E. Preece| url = http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9061243/Warren-E-Preece| encyclopedia = Encyclopædia Britannica| edition= 15<sup>th</sup> edition| publisher = [[Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.|Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc]]}}  From ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' Online.

*{{cite encyclopedia| year = 2007| title = History of the 15th edition| url = http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-2112| encyclopedia = Encyclopædia Britannica| edition= 15<sup>th</sup> edition| publisher = [[Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.|Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc]]}}  From ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' Online.
*[http://www.library.ucsb.edu/speccoll/sbauthors_pq.html Short biographical sketch of Warren Preece] from the [[Davidson Library|Donald C. Davidson Library]], at the [[University of California, Santa Barbara]].
*[http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/14/us/14preece.html?ex=1334203200&en=b65fe37550b09e82&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss ''New York Times'' obituary]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Preece, Warren E.}}
[[Category:Encyclopædia Britannica]]
[[Category:American book editors]]
[[Category:People from Norwalk, Connecticut]]
[[Category:1921 births]]
[[Category:2007 deaths]]
[[Category:Dartmouth College alumni]]
[[Category:Columbia University alumni]]
[[Category:American people of Welsh descent]]

[[pt:Warren Eversleigh Preece]]
[[Category:2Fix]]