Kunnskapsforlaget

Kunnskapsforlaget was a Norwegian publishing company established in Oslo in 1975 as a joint venture between H. Aschehoug & Co. (W. Nygaard) and Gyldendal Norsk Forlag. Its founding purpose was to combine the resources of Norway’s two major publishing houses for the production of encyclopedias and dictionaries. The company became particularly associated with reference publishing rather than general trade books, issuing printed encyclopedias, lexicons, dictionaries, and academic prose. Its most prominent work was Store norske leksikon, commonly translated as the Great Norwegian Encyclopedia. Kunnskapsforlaget published the first volume in 1978 and subsequently produced four editions, with the final printed edition appearing in 2004. The encyclopedia became an important Norwegian-language reference work, covering subjects across the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and other academic fields. The company’s broader reference catalogue also included dictionaries and other language and knowledge products. Kunnskapsforlaget adapted its business toward digital reference publishing through Ordnett, an online service for digital dictionaries launched in 2004. Ordnett provided access to dictionary content electronically and became the continuing platform for the company’s dictionary activities. The development of digital products reflected the wider shift in reference publishing away from multi-volume printed works and toward searchable online services. In 2011, responsibility for the online version of Store norske leksikon was transferred to Institusjonen Fritt Ord and Sparebankstiftelsen DnB. This separated the encyclopedia’s continuing online development from Kunnskapsforlaget’s original publishing structure. The encyclopedia subsequently continued as an independent online knowledge project rather than as a conventional printed reference series controlled by the publisher. Gyldendal Norsk Forlag became Kunnskapsforlaget’s sole owner in September 2018. At that time, the company had eight full-time employees and was led by chief executive Thomas Nygaard. Kunnskapsforlaget was closed in 2020, after which its dictionary publishing activities were fully integrated into Ordnett. The company is therefore a defunct publishing entity, although its reference-publishing legacy continued through the digital services and works associated with it.

Kunnskapsforlaget was created in 1975 through cooperation between H. Aschehoug & Co. (W. Nygaard) and Gyldendal Norsk Forlag. The partnership was formed specifically to develop and publish encyclopedias and dictionaries, allowing the two established Norwegian publishers to share the costs and expertise required for large reference projects. The company’s defining publishing project was Store norske leksikon. Its first volume appeared in 1978, beginning a multi-volume Norwegian encyclopedia that was issued in four editions. The fourth and final edition was published in 2004. During this period, Kunnskapsforlaget established itself as a specialist reference publisher, producing not only encyclopedic works but also printed books, lexicons, dictionaries, and academic prose. Digital publishing became increasingly important to the company. In 2004, Kunnskapsforlaget launched Ordnett, an online service offering digital dictionaries. Ordnett provided a searchable electronic route to dictionary content and represented the company’s response to the movement from traditional printed reference books toward online information services. The ownership and institutional structure of the encyclopedia changed in 2011, when the online version of Store norske leksikon was transferred to Institusjonen Fritt Ord and Sparebankstiftelsen DnB. This move placed the encyclopedia’s online continuation outside the original Kunnskapsforlaget publishing operation. The company continued to be associated with reference publishing, particularly dictionaries and the Ordnett service. In September 2018, Gyldendal Norsk Forlag became Kunnskapsforlaget’s sole owner. The publisher remained a relatively small specialist operation; in 2018 it had eight full-time employees, with Thomas Nygaard serving as chief executive. Kunnskapsforlaget was closed in 2020. Its dictionary publishing was then fully incorporated into Ordnett, bringing the company’s independent corporate existence to an end while preserving part of its catalogue and digital publishing function.

• 2020

  Company closed

  [1]Kunnskapsforlageten.wikipedia.org

  Kunnskapsforlaget ceased operations as an independent publisher, and its dictionaries were fully integrated into Ordnett.

• 2018

  Gyldendal became sole owner

  [1]Kunnskapsforlageten.wikipedia.org

  Gyldendal Norsk Forlag became the company’s single owner in September 2018.

• 2011

  Online encyclopedia transferred to institutional owners

  [1]Kunnskapsforlageten.wikipedia.org

  The online version of Store norske leksikon was transferred to Institusjonen Fritt Ord and Sparebankstiftelsen DnB.

• 2004

  Ordnett launched

  [1]Kunnskapsforlageten.wikipedia.org

  The company launched Ordnett, an online service for digital dictionaries.

• 2004

  Fourth printed edition of Store norske leksikon completed

  [1]Kunnskapsforlageten.wikipedia.org

  The fourth and final printed edition of Store norske leksikon was published.

• 1978

  First volume of Store norske leksikon published

  [1]Kunnskapsforlageten.wikipedia.org

  Kunnskapsforlaget published the first volume of Store norske leksikon, its signature encyclopedia project.

• 1975

  Kunnskapsforlaget established

  [1]Kunnskapsforlageten.wikipedia.org

  H. Aschehoug & Co. (W. Nygaard) and Gyldendal Norsk Forlag established Kunnskapsforlaget as a joint publishing venture for encyclopedias and dictionaries.

Norwegian encyclopedia, dictionary, and reference publishing

• Encyclopedia · 1978

  Store norske leksikon

  Kunnskapsforlaget’s best-known reference work was Store norske leksikon, a comprehensive Norwegian-language encyclopedia. The first volume was published in 1978, and four printed editions were produced, with the last appearing in 2004. Its online version was later transferred to Institusjonen Fritt Ord and Sparebankstiftelsen DnB in 2011.

• Digital dictionary service · 2004

  Ordnett

  Ordnett is an online service for digital dictionaries launched by Kunnskapsforlaget in 2004. It became the continuing home for the company’s dictionary activities after Kunnskapsforlaget closed in 2020 and those activities were fully integrated into the service.

• Reference books

  Printed dictionaries and lexicons

  The company published printed dictionaries and lexicons as part of its specialist reference catalogue. These works complemented its encyclopedia publishing and later supplied content for its digital dictionary offering through Ordnett.

• 2020

  Closure and integration of dictionary operationsStrategy

  Background

  The publisher’s activities had increasingly centered on digital reference services, particularly dictionaries delivered through Ordnett.

  Action taken

  Kunnskapsforlaget was closed and its dictionary operations were fully integrated into Ordnett.

  Aftermath

  The Kunnskapsforlaget corporate entity became defunct, while its dictionary content and digital service continued through Ordnett.

  Source

• 2018

  Gyldendal assumed sole ownershipM&A

  Background

  Kunnskapsforlaget had been established as a joint venture between Gyldendal Norsk Forlag and H. Aschehoug & Co.

  Action taken

  Gyldendal Norsk Forlag became the company’s single owner in September 2018.

  Aftermath

  The company continued as a small specialist publisher until its closure in 2020.

  Source

• 2011

  Transfer of the online Store norske leksikon projectStrategy

  Background

  The online continuation of the company’s principal encyclopedia was separated from Kunnskapsforlaget’s publishing operation.

  Action taken

  The online version of Store norske leksikon was transferred to Institusjonen Fritt Ord and Sparebankstiftelsen DnB.

  Aftermath

  The encyclopedia continued under new institutional ownership, while Kunnskapsforlaget retained its association with dictionary and other reference publishing.

  Source

1. 1Kunnskapsforlageten.wikipedia.org