My experience with reference assistance in a community college setting has led me to consider the task of information broker. Many students find struggle to successfully find information via library resources and will turn to Google options instead. Fortunately many do seek assistance from library professionals who typically guide the student in use of information retrieval systems. At times it seems more appropriate to asses what sort of information package the student is seeking and do the majority of searching for them. Providing them with several options so as to best approximate their needs. This enhances the valued-added services provided by librarians, and aligns with expectations of digital natives. While enabling lazy tendencies among searchers many not be desirable, providing it as an alternative when students feel they have exhausted their skills is not a bad thing. Acting as an information broker just might be the answer for an information overloaded society.
