Methods and apparatus are provided for developing user profiles via search query analysis and linking the user profiles and data sources, to adaptively facilitate the discovery, transfer, and distribution of pertinent knowledge. A user profile builder, linker, and manager analyze users' search queries to learn their interests and habits, build user profiles to reflect the users' interests and habits, and link together profiles of the users with common interests. A data harvester utilizes the user profiles to provide pertinent data to the users based on their interests and habits or those of other users with common interests.