Encyclopedic knowledge in the mobile age

Abstract

The aim of this chapter is to shed some light on the changing nature of all-encompassing collections of represented knowledge, how knowledge may be socially constructed and shared, and whether perspectives may be shifting due to greater mobility and travel. New manifestations of encyclopedias on the web attest to the enduring appeal of gathering together and disseminating what is known about a broad range of topics. At the same time, the scale and nature of knowledge sharing on the web differs in many respects from traditional formats. The proliferation of portable and pervasive technologies is introducing further changes that we are only beginning to understand