In the era of widespread globalization and the invasive development of information and communication technologies, there is increasing talk of creating an information society, whose greatest asset is information.
Science and the economy are developing at a staggering pace. More and more books and magazines are appearing on the market. Furthermore, the Internet has paved the way for modern media. Electronic magazines, web portals, vertical portals, and websites are springing up like mushrooms, containing a wealth of invaluable information, but also a lot of so-called junk news that is difficult to verify. Contrary to appearances, despite universal access to information, it is becoming increasingly difficult to reach the ones we desire most in the maze of data. Paradoxically, the phenomenon of information overload has turned it into a commodity worth its weight in gold.
Ocean of knowledge
It is not just scientists who are looking for knowledge. The broad economic and trade contacts of entrepreneurs and businessmen cause them to feverishly and constantly search for news about an ever-growing number of competitors, sales markets, technological innovations, etc. Until now, information was sought primarily in libraries. It was the librarian or the information science specialist who collected, stored, and provided access to information. However, the library, despite the enormous role it plays in the development of knowledge, is no longer able to meet the information requirements of society. The sources of information are not only scientific publications, but also information posted online by PR agencies, advertisements, open letters, forums, and even blogs. The Internet has become a window to the world – a true ocean of knowledge. But its user, without the skills of searching and aggregating information, can “drown” in this ocean and feel very disappointed in their search.
It is not just scientists who are looking for knowledge. The broad economic and trade contacts of entrepreneurs and businessmen cause them to feverishly and constantly search for news about an ever-growing number of competitors, sales markets, technological innovations, etc. Until now, information was sought primarily in libraries. It was the librarian or the information science specialist who collected, stored, and provided access to information. However, the library, despite the enormous role it plays in the development of knowledge, is no longer able to meet the information requirements of society. The sources of information are not only scientific publications, but also information posted online by PR agencies, advertisements, open letters, forums, and even blogs. The Internet has become a window to the world – a true ocean of knowledge. But its user, without the skills of searching and aggregating information, can “drown” in this ocean and feel very disappointed in their search.
Information fishers
The ever-increasing hunger for information has contributed to the birth of a new field – infobrokering. Infobrokering is an interdisciplinary field. It encompasses knowledge from the humanities, especially library science, information science, sociology, psychology, philosophy, social communication, knowledge management, as well as natural sciences, mainly computer science. In addition to theoretical knowledge, it consists of practical experience related to acquiring, sharing, and authorizing information. An infobroker, referred to in English as: information broker, information professional, cyberian, knowledge broker, freelance librarian, independent researcher, data dealer, etc., deals with the professional searching, selection, collection, sharing, presentation, and analysis of information at the client’s request. They search for materials in libraries, archives, scientific and tourist information centers, thematic databases, and on the Internet. Sources of information for them include printed and electronic magazines, portals, vertical portals, websites, search engines, catalogs, discussion groups, e-books, etc. The areas of an infobroker’s activity are diverse. Depending on the needs, they search for scientific, technical, legal, and economic information. Therefore, a reliable infobroker does not forget to consult with specialists from various fields of knowledge.
The ever-increasing hunger for information has contributed to the birth of a new field – infobrokering. Infobrokering is an interdisciplinary field. It encompasses knowledge from the humanities, especially library science, information science, sociology, psychology, philosophy, social communication, knowledge management, as well as natural sciences, mainly computer science. In addition to theoretical knowledge, it consists of practical experience related to acquiring, sharing, and authorizing information. An infobroker, referred to in English as: information broker, information professional, cyberian, knowledge broker, freelance librarian, independent researcher, data dealer, etc., deals with the professional searching, selection, collection, sharing, presentation, and analysis of information at the client’s request. They search for materials in libraries, archives, scientific and tourist information centers, thematic databases, and on the Internet. Sources of information for them include printed and electronic magazines, portals, vertical portals, websites, search engines, catalogs, discussion groups, e-books, etc. The areas of an infobroker’s activity are diverse. Depending on the needs, they search for scientific, technical, legal, and economic information. Therefore, a reliable infobroker does not forget to consult with specialists from various fields of knowledge.
The article comes from the magazine “e-Fakty” 6/2006.