Key Notes Blog

Bringing you weekly posts on conference planning, happenings at Keystone, or how better to put KLAS to work for you!

Donating for Good

Details: Category: Key Notes; Last Updated: Monday, 18 January 2021 19:37; Published: Tuesday, 19 January 2021 14:02; Written by Andrea Callicutt

It was only a matter of time. In December one of our own, John Owen, contracted COVID-19 and spent two weeks off of work fighting it. Thankfully he recovered and has not experienced any of devastating or long-term side effects.

Troubled by the lack or therapeutics available to COVID patients John jumped at the chance to help one of the most vulnerable communities. As soon as he was able, he donated his plasma that now contains the antibodies that can help those who are critically ill have a better chance at recovery.

John sits in the medical office where he donates, wearing a mask and stickers with his name and arrival time (pictured later).

John said this about his plasma donation:

“I’ve done it once and found out that I can continue to donate plasma every seven days until my annual limit One small needle prick and an hour in a recliner is nothing compared to the chance that my donations can help critically ill patients have a fighting chance at recovery. This disease is no joke, and I am so thankful that my wife and family have so far been spared.”

Keep reading for photos John took during the donation procedure and of his "badge of honor" stickers.

Happy Holidays from Keystone

Details: Category: Key Notes; Last Updated: Wednesday, 23 December 2020 17:40; Published: Tuesday, 22 December 2020 20:01; Written by Andrea Callicutt

We wish you a Happy and Healthy Holiday Season! May you in find joy and warmth in the holiday lights and comfort knowing a new year is just around the corner! From our homes to yours...here's to a cheerful holiday and a fresh 2021!

A grid of smiling staff members with their Christmas trees and other holiday decor, with a few decorative squares mixed in. The text reads, "From the Keystone Systems Staff: May you all have a happy and healthy Holiday Season!"

Our office will be closed Thursday, December 24, and Friday, December 25, 2020 in observance of Christmas. Regular support hours will resume on Monday, December 28, at 8:00 AM ET. The office will also be closed on Friday, January 1, 2021 for New Year's. Regular support hours will resume on Monday, January 4, at 8:00 AM ET.

If you need to arrange special support hours for these days, please call or e-mail us as soon as possible.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Details: Category: Key Notes; Last Updated: Tuesday, 24 November 2020 22:46; Published: Tuesday, 24 November 2020 22:46; Written by Katy Patrick

Well, it's going to be an unusual holiday season this year, but may you all find some joy and celebration. Even more importantly, we hope you and your loved ones stay healthy.

In these difficult times, we're grateful to be here for all of you. We have a fantastic users' community, and we're looking forward to supporting you through the winter and hopefully to brighter and easier days ahead.

From the Keystone staff: Happy Thanksgiving! May your table be filled with the bounty of the season.

Coming Soon: Duplication on Demand Roundtable

Details: Category: Key Notes; Last Updated: Tuesday, 15 December 2020 16:57; Published: Tuesday, 01 December 2020 21:08; Written by Andrea Callicutt

"Duplication" is the word of the day / week / month / year for National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled network libraries. Whether you've already made the fundamental shift to providing duplication on demand materials for your patrons or are still trying to make decisions about how to shift your library to a duplication on demand service model, there's many questions, decisions, and challenges faced during the process.

With this in mind, the KLAS Users' Group Program Committee is providing another opportunity for KLAS Users' to come together in a session focused on this topic. Go ahead and mark your calendar now for the upcoming KLAS Users' Roundtable: Duplication on Demand to be held on Tuesday, December 15 at 3 PM Eastern / Noon Pacific.

Note: We expect this session to last two hours rather than the usual one. Also, we plan to record this roundtable and post it to klasusers.com for later reference.

Save the Date for our 3 PM ET December 15 KLAS TBL Users Roundtable: Duplication on Demand!

PIMMS Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

Details: Category: Key Notes; Last Updated: Tuesday, 17 November 2020 21:37; Published: Tuesday, 17 November 2020 21:37; Written by Andrea Callicutt

PIMMS is adding new statuses for Machines, one is for Awaiting Repair, which is not big news. We'll need to work with the library to remap some existing KLAS CorStatus/MatDisp combination(s) to this new code to accurately get PIMMS up to date.The bigger change is a Transferring Status. This status is used whether this is a direct transfer of a machine from one library to another, or if the machine is transferring with a patron.We have changed KLAS so that there are now multiple TF MatDisp codes --
TFO -- Machine is in the process of transferring out directly from one library to another. (Changing the meaning of the existing code.)
TFP -- Machine is in process of being transferred out with a Patron.
TFR -- Either the Machine transfer or the Patron transfer has been rejected by the Gaining Library
TFA -- The machine or Patron transfer has been accepted by the Gaining Library.The library doesn't need to do any set up for the new statuses. They are automatically added to KLAS with the upgrade. Existing machines at TFO are updated to TFA if the machine exists elsewhere in PIMMS,If the machine is going to be going with a transferring patron, then nothing needs to be done to transfer the machine. Also, in such a case, the Gaining library does not have to do anything to add the machines into KLAS. They will be automatically added.If the machines are NOT being transferred with the patron, then the library needs to disconnect the machines from the patron before transferring the patron.If a machine or patron transfer is rejected, the machine changes to NAC/TFR (and the patron stays at T status). There are new reports that report out the machines and patrons in such a situation. The library will need to figure out what they want to do with the Machines and/or Patrons. We don't know of any predefined pattern as to what should happen, so we settled on these statuses and reporting them out.

Today we wanted to prepare you (with a hat tip to David Bowie) to "Turn and face the strange [PIMMS] Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes," as PIMMS is adding a couple new statuses for Machines.

One will be "Awaiting Repair" which is not big news. However, to accurately get PIMMS up to date for this status this we will need to work with your KLAS Administrator to remap some existing KLAS CorStatus/MatDisp combinations.

The bigger change will be a Machine Status of "Transferring Status". This status will be used whether this is a direct transfer of a machine from one library to another or if the machine is field transferring from one patron to another. We have updated KLAS to add multiple Transfer (TF) Material Disposition codes to support this status.

New PIMMS TF Material Disposition Codes:

Transferring Out (TFO) -- Machine is in the process of transferring out directly from one library to another. (This is an update of the existing TFO status code.)
Transferring Out with Patron (TFP) -- Machine is in process of being transferred out with a Patron to another Library.
Transfer Rejected (TFR) -- Either the Machine transfer or the Patron transfer has been rejected by the Gaining Library
Tranfer Accepted (TFA) -- The machine or Patron transfer has been accepted by the Gaining Library.

Libraries will not need to do any set up for these new codes. They will automatically added to KLAS with the upgrade. Existing machines that are Transferring Out (TFO) will be updated to Transfer Accepted (TFA) if the machine exists elsewhere in PIMMS.

Things to keep in mind with these new PIMMS Machine Transfer Statuses:

If the machine is tranferring along with a patron, nothing will need to be done to transfer the machine--it will now be included along with the Patron transfer. Also, the library receiving the machine does not have to do anything to add it into KLAS, it will both be automatically added with the patron.
If a machine should NOT be transferred with a patron, the library needs to remove the machine from the patron's record before transferring the patron record.
If a machine or patron transfer is rejected, the machine changes to Not Available for Circulation / Transfer Rejected (NAC / TFR) and the patron will keep a Tranfer (T) status. There are new reports in KLAS that can be run to identify machines and patrons with this NAC / TFR status. The library will then need to figure out what they want to do these Machines and / or Patrons.

Please contact KLAS customer support to get help preparing for the Awaiting Repair status or if you have any questions about how the new Transfer Material Disposition are being used / what they mean.