Interesting and valuable discussion of Wikipedia--thanks, all!

For what it's worth, and of course this isn't based on a systematic 
survey, I know of no reference/research specialist at the Library of 
Congress who is willing to refer patrons to Wikipedia.

I've used it, but only personally for basic information about 
contemporary figures, usually in popular culture, that I don't know 
where to get elsewhere--I watch very little television and am fairly 
clueless mass-media entertainment topics.  For instance--I am not 
making this up--it was months before it dawned on me that the Paris 
Hilton whose name I kept hearing wasn't a hotel in the French capital.  
Wikipedia told me who she was, though I still don't understand why she 
merits sustained global attention.

My guess is that Wikipedia is here to stay, though.  Most people no 
longer have ready access to reliable print references sources such as 
encyclopedias.  They want and expect their information sources to be 
instantly available online, yet for obvious reasons most reliable 
online reference sources aren't free.  Hence, by default, Wikipedia.

Imaginative practical solutions such as TJ-Wiki are what's needed (and 
you folks at Monticello are brave to be willing to try this--I'm 
impressed).  Any chance we can get our feckless Virginia legislature to 
fund a VA-Wiki with a couple of staff positions at the Library of 
Virginia?

Not kidding,

--Jurretta