Obviously, the influence of the internet and web/library 2.0 has drastically changed the reference universe. A part of this shift, of course, is more common acceptance of websites that allow the user to ask a question and receive an answer. For me, such sites involve too much uncertainty: who has the authority to give the right answer? When will the answer come? Will the answer ever show up?
Another consideration is the type of question asked. In looking at several of the sites linked in "Thing," some questions were simple, some complex and many just plain weird. My favorite, from WikiAnswers (unanswered animal life questions): "What is the Meaning for releasing a trapped wren?"
In a way, answer sites mirror what is problematic about the internet: there's too little authority and too many people who think they know something, too much information and too few ways in which to organize it. Certainly this could change, but the solution might be not be websites that rely on the 2.0 world for answers. Instead, I anticipate smarter search engines to be developed. A glimmer of this is Wolfram Alpha, a "computational knowledge engine," that the tech. blogs are starting to chatter about.
I have yet to receive a response from the sample questions I posted on a few sites. I have no way, either, to know if anyone is, or will ever consider them. While I'm waiting, of course, I could always call the library....
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