Brokers have a knack for finding the information their clients need --
online or elsewhere. They know how to develop a search strategy and execute
that search efficiently and effectively.
"Information brokers know there are multiple sources of information, and
know how to access them," says Helen Burwell. She is an information broker
in Houston.
"They know that there isn't one treasure chest of information. Some information
may be in dusty files somewhere. Or may require personal interviews. Or may
be in an electronic database or on the Internet."
Many information brokers are uncomfortable with the term.
"Many of us are searching for an alternative name for our profession, due
to some negative press that is associated with the term," says Paula Eiblum.
She is president of a research services firm in Rockville, Maryland.
"Newspapers such as the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times have
used 'information broker' when referring to unethical sleuths who try to gain
access to personal records through devious means," she says.
"We also feel that 'information broker' is a difficult term to explain.
So we're searching for an alternative name. So far we have suggestions of
cyberian, information technologist, information intermediary, information
professional, and my favorite right now, information expert."
John Levis owns an information brokerage in Livonia, Michigan. He's also
a former president of the Association of Independent Information Professionals
(AIIP). "We respect client confidentiality, respect copyright and intellectual
property rights. We're not hackers, crackers or spies," he says.
"We don't deceive people. AIIP ethics won't allow us to find information
that is not legally obtained, like unlisted phone numbers or Social Security
numbers."
Mariott Smart is an information broker in Littleton, Colorado. "I usually
refer to myself as a research librarian because it describes clearly to the
average person what I do," she says.
"What's great about this work is that there's never a typical day," says
Eiblum.
"There's a framework and process by which we work every day, but the content
is never the same. We receive requests from clients, record them for administrative
purposes and then go about finding the sources from which to order.
"This varies from locating a journal in California for a photocopy request
to calling a foreign association or publisher for a book that's been ordered.
"We have subcontractors in libraries all over the USA who photocopy articles
for us. We order patents, standards, military documents, government reports,
association publications, PhD dissertations, software, company annual reports,
and of course, books from sources all over the world. When the mail comes
in later in the day, we proceed to organize it, invoice and ship to our clients."
Sometimes brokers prevent a client from making bad business decisions.
"I was asked to get background on a company based in the Philippines for a
banking transaction involving a loan," recalls information broker Derek Pugsley.
"I researched the company name and found that it had been associated with
funding a nursing home in California. My client contacted the home and learned
that the company's fee was fraudulent, and the home lost its money. This information
was available by searching a newspaper's online records."
But being an information broker involves more than just research. "The
most important part of this job is running the business," says Larry Mrazek.
He is a broker in St. Louis.
"People wishing to enter the profession as an independent should realize
that they'll be responsible for doing tedious tasks like billing, marketing
and sales, in addition to actually answering the client's question."
Eiblum encourages people to think about this career.
"If you like to work on your own, possibly in your own home office, can
cope with several projects at once, meet clients' deadlines and take on the
financial risk of running your own business, this is a very rewarding
career!
"If you love to gather data and want to be on the leading edge of the information
revolution, this is the profession for you."