Emerging trends in information brokering

Online research via the Internet has revolutionized the role of independent information brokers, who provide fee-based services ranging from online database searching and public records' research, to digital library development. While information brokering once focused on “rip and ship”—running a search, printing out the results, and shipping it out to the client—information brokers today are expected to be true “intelligent agents,” evaluating sources, detecting and alerting clients to discrepancies in the data, summarizing the results and making recommendations based on the information gathered. Moreover, clients now expect information in hours instead of days. And the global economy has increased the need to collect information from international sources. The mushrooming number of online “boutique services” are providing more, and better, information on specialized niches—but these accounts can be costly, and they require staying on top of system features and quirks (including unique search software) and pricing options. The author concludes that the proliferation of information online will translate into greater appreciation for the information broker's skills in finding useful information efficiently, evaluating alternative sources, and selecting the ones most appropriate for the client's project, while providing a buffer of confidentiality when inquiries need to be made without involving the client's name. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.