Key Notes

In the past few days, we've gotten more than a few questions about how to setup KLAS and / or prepare your library for a work from remote situation. If you haven't seen our earlier announcement, make sure to read this Important Coronavirus Info first, then come back for some additional tips.

The frequently-asked-questions I'm sharing our tips for are:

1. How can you connect to KLAS if you use a Mac?
2. How can I quickly increase the number of books we're sending our patrons and / or titles we're duplicating onto a cartridge for them?

If you have any other inquiries about how to connect to KLAS remotely or other ways to prepare your staff, library, & patrons for these unique circumstances, please contact Keystone Customer Support.

Finally, because we know these are stressful times, make sure to check out the Off-Topic section of the forums to "meet" our Work-From-Home coworkers (formerly known as pets).

Tip 1:

How can you connect to KLAS if you use a Mac?

KLAS staff-side will work on a Mac if it is running Windows as a virtual machine (VM) - this can be done using Parallels or VirtualBox (For example, our Keystone staff who use Macs run Windows in Parallels and then can connect to the KLAS staff side). If the Mac is able to run a VM with Windows, the specs should be enough to run KLAS inside that VM.

• This article from PC Mag has some good examples of how to run a VM of Windows on a Mac - https://www.pcmag.com/news/how-to-run-windows-on-a-mac

Once you have a VM set up, installing and connecting to KLAS works just like it does on regular Windows. If you are running KLAS 7.7, you should be able to launch KLAS, log-in and start working immediately (though Self-Hosted customers may need additional support).

If you are a KLAS 7.6 library, to be able to run KLAS remotely you will need to run a current version of OpenVPN before opening KLAS. This is the same process that you use at your library, you just need to make sure the VPN software is installed on the laptop if it isn't already. If needed, Keystone customer support can assist making sure you can connect successfully using SimpleHelp.

Tip 2:

How can I quickly increase the number of books we're sending our patrons and / or titles we're duplicating onto a cartridge for them?

Increasing the number of titles your patrons can receive is a great way to help get them enough books to tide them over in for a bit while you might be short staffed, or if your library closes for a period of time. There are a few ways to approach this:

Raise NS Cutoff for Everyone

The simpliest, way to do this is to temporarily raise your NSCutoff for all patrons. However, be very cautious if you choose to go this route as you might be unintentionaly overwhelming your circ staff and sending books to patrons you don't really want to. If you can handle the extra circulation and want to make a bulk change for all patrons, please get in touch with us and let us assist!

We can run a program that will raise every patrons' NSCutoff by a specific number, while keeping a log of the original setting. This way, once you've pushed out the extra books, we can return everyone to their usual setting. Again, however, bear in mind that this method can create a lot of extra work for your staff.

Raise NS Cutoff for a Query Set

Another way to handle this is to increase the NSCutoff for a select group of patrons. For example, one library contacted our customer support team seeking help to just this, but they did not want to send anything to patrons who've been inactive for over a year because they hit their max number of books and haven't returned them.

The way we suggested going about this was to:

1. Do a query for Active Patrons with a Last Served Date between 1/1/2019 - today, and an NSCutoff of 20 (or your library's usual cap).
2. Once you're in the Query Set you can then use the Batch Update Patron Profile function to change the NSCutoff for the selected query set to your new max number of books.
3. Don't forget that you have a library-wide maximum as well as the individual patrons' NSCutoff. If you need assistance adjusting yours, just let us know what the new hard cutoff should be.

See below for a document with information about the Batch Update Patron Profile tool. Also, note that this tool is only available in 7.7; for 7.6, you will need to contact us for bulk changes.

Raise Max Titles on Cart

If you are operating in a Duplication on Demand service model, you can increase the "Max Titles on Cart" value to globally increase the number of titles you are having KLAS put on a cartridge.

1. Do a query for Active Patrons with a Delivery Method of Duplication.
2. Once you're in the Query Set, use the Batch Update Patron Profile function to change the Max Titles on Cart for the DB Medium.  Leave all other fields blank to keep their current values!

Here's a Quick Tip document on how to use "Batch Update Patron Profile".

• QuickTip BatchUpdatePatProfile - MS Word
• QuickTip BatchUpdatePatProfile - PDF

Finally, don't forget to check out the Off-Topic section of the forums to "meet" our Work-From-Home coworkers (formerly known as pets) if you need a little stress-relief.

As we continue to answer questions and work with libraries to handle this challenging situation, I wanted to share some additional tips gleaned from our inbox and experiences working with your fellow users.

1. Do I need to shut off Nightly?
2. WebOPAC Notice
3. Emailing your newsletter
4. Record clean-up

If you have any other inquiries, please continue to contact Keystone Customer Support--we're still here to help!

Finally, because we know these are stressful times, make sure to check out the Off-Topic section of the forums to "meet" our Work-From-Home coworkers (formerly known as pets).

Tip 1:

Do I need to shut off Nightly while no one is in the library to handle circulation?

Short answer: Nope! The majority of Nightly circuation is generated by check-ins, so without any check-ins, the volume of assignments created drops steeply. It may find a few additional things over the next few days, but the number of assignments will continue to drop day by day until it has done all it can. Those assignments will then sit around until someone can come in and send them out, and that's fine! They don't expire and they don't interfere with downloads; though they might frustrate OPAC users who see the assigned Titles sitting on their Has Now lists that'll be it.

Tip 2:

WebOPAC Notice recommendations

Have you posted a notice on your OPAC yet? This is an easy avenue to get information out to patrons and those who order for them.

Something we saw one library include that we think is a great idea: Include the recommendation that patrons keep the books they currently have until you re-open! Not only will this keep them out of the pile of books awaiting your return, but even better, it will give them at least something to listen to in the meantime.

You can also let patrons know that local downloads (such as Shelf titles) along with BARD will remain available.

Need help posting the notice? Just send the full text with any formatting you want to , and we'll be happy to post it for you!

Tip 3:

Emailing your Newsletter

If you can't get to the office to physically mail a large print newsletter, you can at least email the contents to those subscribers who have an email in KLAS.

In KLAS 7.7, you can get a list of these patrons and their emails to export using this query:

• Patron - Main Status - Begins - a
• Subscription - KlasID - Equals - (your large print newsletter's KLAS ID, for example SER-NEW2)
• Subscription - End Date - Equals - ?
• Media - Pat Medium - Begins - L
• Media - CirMagStatus - Equals - a
• Address - EMail Addr - Is Between - 0 - ZZZZZZZZ

Version 7.6 does not have the ability to query on Subscription in the Patron module, so that one is a bit more complicated. If you are still on KLAS 7.7.6 and need a list of subscriber emails, let us know.

Tip 4:

Record clean-up recommendations

With circulation tasks unavailable, some staff may find themselves with extra time. If so: this is a great time to do some patron maintenance and catalog clean-up!

Patron module:

• Take a look at the Insufficient Requests Report to find patrons with as many or fewer requests as their NS Cutoff. You may need to contact these patrons to update their request list, or determine that they want to suspend their service. (Reports Menu -> Items and Titles -> Insufficient Requests)
• The Patrons Below Cutoff Report will find those patrons KLAS has been unable to serve, even after running Nightly a few times without check-ins. These patrons may need additional subject preferences or requests, or to have their older HasHads cleared out (for example, a patron who only reads Westerns). On the other hand, there may be something stopping them from getting service, such as no Reading Level or Language! (Reports Menu -> Service Provision -> Patrons Below Cutoff Report)
• The AutoSelect with No Subjects pre-defined Query is always good to check on now and then, to find patrons who either need to provide reading preferences or be switched to List-Only service. (Query Menu -> AutoSelect w/ No Subjects)
• And finally, the Batch Patron Status Review tool is the best way to find and review patrons who haven't been served in a long time, and Suspend them. Additionally, you can review patrons who have been Suspended for a long time and make them Withdrawn and purged.

Catalog module:

We have some Catalog clean-up tasks in the Are you Ready for Duplication? (And is your Catalog?) post.

Additionally, you can query for:

• Language - Not In - ENG,SPA (comma-separated list of all the languages your library has records for)

--to turn up any records with invalid language codes.

Anything else you want to check for? Need help with a strategy to fix something you've found? Let us know how we can help!

And that's it for this week's tips! Don't forget to check out the Off-Topic section of the forums to "meet" our Work-From-Home coworkers if you need a little stress-relief.

The KLAS Program Committee has been hard at work and has a new, freshly updated Overview Schedule for the 2019 KLAS Users' Conference ready for you. This is still a draft schedule but has several changes from the version published two weeks ago.

So, how did the committee get here and what do they still have to do?

Here's a brief look at our 2019 KLAS Users' Conference Program Committee Planning Timeframe...

October

• Establish Committee
• Set meeting schedule & expectations
• Begin reviewing feedback from the previous conference

November

• Publish initial Overview Schedule with conference framework with no specific session topics or speakers based on info from the site visit, logistics committee, etc.
• Send out a call for proposals
• Continue reviewing feedback from the previous conference

December

• Continue reviewing feedback from the previous conference
• Review session proposals as they are received
• Identify / discuss other possible session topics

January

• Finalize list of session topics based on conference feedback, proposals received & ideas presented by committee members
• Slate session topics based on the type of session
• Publish updated Overview Schedule with slated session topics

February

• Review & Update Overview Schedule document
• Assign committee member liaison for sessions
• Refine session titles & descriptions
• Recruit additional moderators / presenters

March

• Continue refining session titles & descriptions
• Publish the first draft of the conference agenda
• Communicate deadlines to moderators / presenters

April

• Continue communicating with moderators / presenters
• Review / update Agenda as needed

May

• Publish finalized Agenda document
• Send out presentation template
• Collect presentations for publication

June

• Conference!

Our next webinar is coming up fast, and it's going to be a fun one: it's time for another Q & A with Katy!

This is an informal, Keystone-presented webinar where I invite all of you to come put my KLAS knowledge to the test, and get answers to all those nagging questions. Whether it's a little thing that never quite feels worth emailing Customer Support about, or something you've asked before, but didn't quite understand the solution--I'll have my demo databases at the ready to walk you through the answer.

Of course, I don't know everything, so if you manage to stump me, I'll get the info, consult with Customer Support and the other experts here at Keystone, and get back to you.

All experience levels, staff roles, and organization types welcome!

• When: Thursday, Nov 2, 3:00pm Eastern Time / Noon Pacific
• Who: All KLAS users!
• Where: Zoom!
  • Zoom link - https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88940481673?pwd=MzRJNTYwaWR0ZkZ0NnRUQnlmRmhtUT09
  • Dial-in for Audio - https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdG7n08Afh
    • Meeting ID: 889 4048 1673
    • Passcode: 670244

As usual, if you can't make it live, the session will be recorded for future viewing. You can even send in your questions ahead of time so I can cover them for you!

Finally, stay tuned, because we have plenty more online learning opportunities coming over the next year. We'll be hosting a webinar every month in 2024, covering a variety of Talking Books / LBPD-focused, IRC-focused, and general interest topics. In May, we'll hold an online Mini-Conference with Keystone updates, New Features, and more, so mark your calendars for May 7-8, 2024! In the meantime, if there's a topic you want to hear about, or something you want to share with the network, the Program Committee would love to hear from you.

I'm looking forward to chatting with you and answering all of your KLAS questions on November 2!