Do Encyclopedias Still Have Value in the Age of Wikipedia?

In ancient times, most people did not have written languages in order to record and distribute their knowledge.  As these same people were often limited in their capability to travel, most of the time their knowledge base consisted of information that pertained solely to their territory and clan.  They passed down information primarily through word of mouth, in the form of instruction, song, and rhyme.  If these ancient peoples could invent a written language and record their knowledge, and if they remained isolated from each other for centuries, each group could successfully produce an encyclopedia about their world that would have lasting value. 

As human societies developed agriculture and commerce, establishing trade routes and armies, information had to travel over longer distances and records had to be kept.  Written languages were established in order to record knowledge.  As not everyone knew how to read and write, and not everyone had the same educational opportunities or freedoms to travel, not everyone had access to the same amount of knowledge.  Those in the position to record the knowledge of an empire often received money or protection from a ruler in order to complete the task.  Rulers often had great influence over what information would exist in print, and what would be left out.  Quite often, early encyclopedias contained cultural and political bias that would teach future generations about one people's greatness over another.  

Today people have much more information at their finger tips due to media and Internet access.  They have achieved many things, and continue to build and discover.  For these reasons, it is impossible today for one person to write an encyclopedia which would encompass the world's knowledge.  One would have to ask "Whose world?", if they insisted that it could be done. Even a subject-specific encyclopedia often leaves out a great deal of information, or misinterprets it.  As people do more advanced research in science, psychology, education, and other disciplines, any information bound between two covers quickly becomes history.  A print encyclopedia provides a snapshot in time, a record of what was once considered knowledge, and may still be considered relevant knowledge, if those capable of evaluating the content determines it to be so.