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WEST LAFAYETTE, IN \u2014 Two Purdue University Libraries Faculty, Ilana Barnes, assistant professor and business information specialist and Tao Zhang, assistant professor and digital user experience specialist, were recently awarded \u00a02013 Sparks! Ignition Grants to jointly develop a web-based help system, \u201cCrowdAsk\u201d for academic libraries. Sparks! Ignition Grants are administered <\/span>through the federal agency, Institute of Museum and Library Services, IMLS.\u00a0 The grant award totals $23,831 with an additional match of $5,480.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This grant supports Barnes\u2019 and Zhang\u2019s research will be applied and tested within the Purdue Libraries to inform the profession.\u00a0 The project involves building an interactive and shared knowledge base for library service and resources. It will also allow students, faculty and the university community to be embedded in the process and improve students\u2019 information literacy skills<\/span><\/p>\n Reference help from librarians has been an integral part of services from academic libraries, but the shift to digital has left gaps in services. The new system will allow users (particularly undergraduate students) to ask open questions related to library service and resources. The user community including librarians, faculty, graduate and undergraduate students, and other research staff will review, revise and propose answers to the question. Answers can be voted and ranked by the user community. The user community can also edit the questions and answers to keep the help content up-to-date. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n About Sparks! Ignition Grants for Libraries and Museums\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/b>Sparks! Ignition Grants for Libraries and Museums are small grants that encourage libraries and museums to test and evaluate innovations in the ways they operate and the services they provide. Sparks! grantees demonstrate innovation and broad potential impact, often turning turn small investments of funds into nationally significant projects.<\/span><\/p>\n Sources: <\/span><\/p>\n Ilana Barnes<\/span><\/b>, MSI, Assistant Professor of Library Science, Business Information Specialist, Purdue University Libraries \u2013 ibarnes@purdue.edu<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n