Encyclopedic storage is a method of storing knowledge that avoids unnecessary duplication and provides convenient access to the stored materials. This paper discusses a particular approach to encyclopedic storage of scientific and technical information which can now be implemented. Motivation for this approach is developed here by considering first some of the basic properties of the process of knowledge transfer via the written record, leading to the development of a <i xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">unit </i> of knowledge. In terms of this unit, the `size' of scientific and technical knowledge, and of electrical engineering knowledge is estimated. This unit also becomes the basic building block for the proposed encyclopedic system. A very small experimental version of such a system is now in existence.