The value of expert information in a user-generated content world

An article in Newsweek's technology section focuses on the increased importance of authoritative information sources in a user-generated content world.  Understanding this, some companies are starting to focus on building sites that provide the authoritative content that many users are seeking.   Not only will this increase site visits from those who are tired of bad information, it also improves the site's ad revenue potential.

One example of this is Mahalo.com.  The site provides users with a people-powered search engine that offers quality results reviewed by real people.  "The more trusted an environment, the more you can charge for it," says Mahalo's founder, Jason Calacanis.  According to him, the "wisdom of the crowds has peaked".  "Web 3.0 is taking what we've built in Web 2.0—the wisdom of the crowds—and putting an editorial layer on it of truly talented, compensated people to make the product more trusted and refined."

If web users are starting to focus on more authoritative information resources, what does that mean for us as librarians?  As information professionals, how can we capitalize on this change in information tastes?  How can we better market ourselves as an excellent option in this increasingly DIY information environment?

Comments

[Rob Domanski]

Putting an editorial layer on top of "the wisdom of the crowds" essentially makes the statement that the wisdom of the crowds is not to be trusted with any real decision-making authority.

Additionally, the correlation between this Web 3.0 editorial layer and notions of compensation only suggest that you believe commercialization is the only path to success. But how would you explain the Web 2.0 successes of the past few years - such as Wikipedia?

I might suggest you read Yochai Benkler's book, The Wealth of Networks, in which he explains the economics of non-market social production. Basically, it argues that talented people with expertise have shown themselves more than willing to contribute to the production of worthwhile, authoritative information without the need for monetary compensation.