1. An automated information-search and information-retrieval system comprising: a computer system associated with database systems and interconnected to information sources through one or more communications media; a message-receiving component that runs on the computer system and that receives information-request, service-request, and response messages from users through one or more message services, including an email service and an SMS text-message service; a message-processing component that runs on the computer system and that processes received information-request and service-request messages to generate state-associated search tasks and state-associated service-provision tasks, and that processes received response messages to facilitate already-generated search tasks; a searching component that queries information sources, including databases, search engines, and websites to carry out search tasks; a service-provision component that identifies service providers and carries out service-provision transactions with identified service providers on behalf of users; and a reply component that transmits replies to information-request and service-request messages received from users containing results obtained by the searching component and service-provision component.