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News & Events

  • Hello from DC

    Hello from DC

    Drea and I are in Washington, DC exhibiting at the ASAE TEC 2019 trade show, meeting Association KLASusers and potential users. We'll be back with a regular blog post next week!

    Hello from DC

     

    Join us next Tuesday for our regularly scheduled Key Notes blog posts.

  • 09/12/2024 KLAS LBPD Users' Meeting at NLS

    Screenshot of the title slide from the KLAS LPBD Users' Meeting including the name of the session, session date, and presenter names.

    Keystone staff attended and facilitated a KLAS Users' Meeting for library for the blind and print disabled (LBPD) staff who use KLAS on Thursday, September 12 during the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled Biennial Conference in Washington, D.C. The session was presented in a hybrid, webinar format and recorded for those who could not attend live / wanted to review the session later.

    09/12/2024 KLAS LBPD Users' Meeting Slidedeck & Recording

    Below are the PowerPoint slides and the recording of this session.

  • 12/14/2021 APH Integration Update Webinar

    Save the Date for the APH Integration Update Webinar to be presented by Katy & Kyle on 12/12/21 at 3 PM ET!

    On Tuesday, December 14, 2021 at 3 PM Eastern / Noon Pacific Katy and Kyle will be offering a live webinar focused on sharing information and details about the integration between KLAS and APH's ordering system and catalog of products. During this session, we plan to demonstrate KLAS screens, discuss planned workflows, share development updates, take suggestions, and answer questions. We invite any and all Instructional Resource / Instructional Materials Center users to mark your calendar now and join us for this special Keystone webinar!

    If you have any questions or comments you wish to submit in advance, you can send them to:

    In the meantime, we invite you to review the recordings of the APH 2021 KLAS IRC / IMC Users' Meeting from 10/12/2021 and the recent KLAS IRC / IMC Users' Roundtable held on 11/3/2021 during which we discussed the current status of the KLAS / APH Integration Project.

    Full Connection info:

    Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87018666883?pwd=WUZhSW5YVTBwRmxlVnRIQlpwZHhjUT09

    Meeting ID: 870 1866 6883
    Passcode: 632597
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    Meeting ID: 870 1866 6883
    Passcode: 632597
    Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kda33PJihT

  • 2021 Julie Klauber Award Info

    2021 Julie Klauber Award Info - image of the document. Document description in full type in body of article.

    Keystone Systems wishes to recognize the support that volunteers and staff provide to their organizations. We do so with the Julie Klauber Award. Each organization may nominate one staff member or volunteer. Please use the Julie Klauber Award Nomination form to do so.

    Nomination Deadline: Friday, May 21

    Award nominees should:

    • Work with KLAS in their daily job functions
    • Show an outstanding service to their organization and / or their community in the spirit of Julie Klauber during his / her time with the library.

    The Julie Klauber Award Recipient will be honored as part of an online award ceremony held Tuesday, June 7 during the 2021 KLAS Users’ Conference and receive a personalized plaque to commemorate their achievement. For 2021, we especially wish to recognize someone who went above and beyond during the last year’s challenges.

    Award finalists will be selected from all nominated individuals by a selection committee1. James Burts, Keystone Systems, will determine this year's recipient after consulting all the finalists' supervisors.

    Printable flyer and online award nomination link:

    Who was Julie Klauber and why is this award named after her?

    Valerie Lewis sent the below text in an email to the klasusers listserv on January 24, 2011:

    It has been more than eight years since Julie passed away. Her name comes up every day.....truly, it does. I work with 5 other people who worked with Julie for many years. I sit in the office that was once hers. Her husband and sons are often in my home. I work with her husband Avery, to continue the important work that she and he started many years before I was lucky enough to meet them.

    Julie was a librarian, but more she was the truest advocate for access to library programs, services and materials for all, particularly people with disabilities.

    In addition to being the librarian for the sub-regional library that served Long Island, NY, Julie and her husband established a non-profit organization that provided information and referral resources for librarians, service providers and individuals living with disabilities.......long before and into the earlier days....of the internet.

    Julie spent truly all of her time making sure that people with disabilities had access to information.....all information. She created partnerships with local and national corporations that brought assistive technology to local libraries. She created library resources in alternative formats and worked with libraries and librarians across the country, to promote accessible library services.

    It has been my honor to be a member of the Julie Klauber Award Committee. It has given me the opportunity to read about lbph staff and volunteers who create new and innovative ways of making library materials, services and programs accessible to their patrons. Something still so difficult to do, even in these technologically advanced times.

    You may think that the daily practices and procedures of operating a library for the blind and physically disabled are hum-drum and nothing out of the ordinary, but think again. It is through the work and creativity of each and every member or your organization, that people with disabilities have access to information....something we treasure so dearly and take so for granted.

    On that note, we encourage you to think about how the wheels of your organization turn and who are the people turning it.

    With warm regards,

    Valerie Lewis, Director
    Long Island Talking Book Library

     2021 Julie Klauber Award Committee Members include:

    • Teresa Kalber, Colorado Talking Book Library
    • Lisa Nelson - Utah State Library Program for the Blind and Disabled
    • Chandra Thornton, Palm Beach County Library System
    • Kimberly Tomlinson, Wisconsin Talking Book and Braille Library
    • Pepper Watson - Oklahoma Library for the Blind, Accessible Instructional Materials Center
    • Andrea Ewing Callicutt - Keystone Systems, Inc.

  • 2021 KLAS Users' Group Business Meeting Minutes

    Screenshot of the first paragraph of the 2021 KLAS Users' Group Business Meeting Minutes document.

    The minutes of the 2021 KLAS Users' Conference which occurred on Thursday, June 10 at 11:30 AM Eastern Time / 8:30 AM Pacific during the 2021 KLAS Users' Conference are below.

  • 2022 KLAS Users' Group Vice President Candidate

    Traci stands in front of a green wall wearing a black shirt and cateye glasses and red lipstick. Her red hair is pulled back from her face.

    Per the KLAS Users' Group Bylaws, upon the vacancy of an officer position an election must be held to replace the officer. As such, we are now conducting an election for the office of Vice President of the KLAS Users' Group. Please meet your candidate for the open Users' Group Vice President position, Traci Timmons!Traci stands in front of a green wall wearing a black shirt and cateye glasses and red lipstick. Her red hair is pulled back from her face.

    A link to vote for Vice President will be sent to each KLAS organization / library's designated representative in the near future.

    KLAS Users' Group Vice President Candidate

    Traci Timmons, Managing Librarian, Washington Talking Book & Braille Library

    Biography:

    Traci Timmons joined the team at the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library (WTBBL) in March. She has been a librarian in special and academic libraries for more than twenty years. She was drawn into the LBPD world because her son is dyslexic, a patron of WTBBL, and she saw firsthand the incredible work these libraries do. Prior to joining WTBBL, Timmons was the head of libraries and archives at the Seattle Art Museum (SAM) where she was the administrator for SAM's ILS, EOS.Web. She has also worked at the University of Washington Libraries, the University of South Florida Libraries, a large accounting firm library, and was a web developer for several software companies. She has an MA in Art History from the University of South Florida and an MLIS from the University of Washington. She is looking forward to further developing the art programs at WTBBL!

    Statement of Goals:

    At WTBBL, I am the KLAS administrator. As a new-ish employee, I'll be the first to admit that I am not a KLAS expert, but, I am striving to become one. I learn through doing, through making mistakes, and from listening to others. In my short time at WTBBL, I have really come to appreciate how KLAS uniquely addresses the work of LBPD and IRC libraries. I have developed some great relationships with Keystone staff and many of my LBPD/IRC colleagues throughout the U.S. In my work life, I have demonstrated that I am a great advocate, collaborator, and problem solver--and will bring those qualities to my KLAS Users work. I see this position as an opportunity to learn more about the needs of colleagues throughout the country, how we can best support one another, and how we can work positively and collaboratively with Keystone to solve problems and advance ideas.

  • 2022 KLAS Users' Group Vice President Elections

    Headshots of Sam Lundberg and Crystal Grimes, KLAS Users' Group VP Candidates.

    Per the recent KLAS Users' Group Meeting, please meet your candidates for the open Users' Group Vice President position. A link to vote will soon be sent to each KLAS organization / library's designated representative. 

    KLAS Users' Group Vice President CandidatesPhoto of Crystal Grimes. She is white with brown shoulder-length hair, wearing glasses and a bright pink shirt. She appears to be in a park or similar setting.

    Crystal Grimes, Customer Service Coordinator, Oregon Talking Book and Braille Library

    Biography: Crystal Grimes is the Customer Service Coordinator for the Oregon Talking Book and Braille Library at the State Library of Oregon. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems from Western Oregon University and a Masters in Library Science from Emporia State University. Crystal has been at the Talking Book Library since 2012 where she started as a Circulation Technician and has had her current position since 2018. Her current position at the library is defined by customer service, reader’s advisory, and setting up new patron accounts. Crystal is currently serving on two Keystone committees, the Programming Committee and the KLAS Development Advisory Committee (KDAC). In her spare time Crystal loves to read (fantasy is a favorite but she will read anything) and play video games.

    Statement of Goals: I’m very excited to work with Keystone and the User group as Vice-President. A goal that I have is to encourage KLAS users to be active in their own learning and experience using KLAS. I want to promote learning and active participation in the KLAS conferences and on the KLASusers web forum. Since I am on the programming committee, I can also bring forward learning ideas from users and help to bring them into creation. I want to be an active listener to the users because this group has a lot of experience and ingenuity, and it deserves to be shared and recognized.

    A photo of Sam Lundberg. He is white with brown hair and a short beard. He is sitting in an office with a calico cat on the back of his chair.Sam Lundberg, Reader Advisor, New Mexico State Library for the Blind and Print Disabled

    Biography: I have been in libraries for nearly a decade now. I cut my teeth on the reference desk in Tippecanoe County Indiana in 2012, before moving to the night shift at Purdue's Library of Engineering and Science. In 2018 I began working at the New Mexico Library for the Blind and Print Disabled as a Reader Advisor and never looked back. I have served on the KLAS Development Advisory Committee since 2019, taking over the KDAC presidency in 2021.

    Statement of Goals: The users group should be proactive in encouraging absolutely everyone to ask questions, experiment with new ideas, and participate in the greater discussion. We've opened up so many new avenues for participation with remote conferences and online conversations and I want to expand upon that progress.

  • 2022 KLAS Users' Mini-Conference

    Promotional graphic with the same text as the article for easy saving or sharing.

    As announced in an earlier Keynotes Blog Post, Keystone staff and the KLAS Users' Group Program Committee are teaming up to bring you an online KLAS Users mini-conference the afternoons of May 3-4. Today, we're sharing a bit more info about what we have planned.

    Sessions with interest for all KLAS Users will be held on both days, and we hope you can join us for this free online training and networking event!

    • Dates: Tuesday, May 3 - Wednesday, May 4, 2022
    • Time: 1:00-5:00 PM Eastern / 10:00 AM-2:00 PM Pacific
    • Format: All sessions will be held via Zoom with a dial-in for audio option provided. Also, concurrent Birds-of-a-Feather sessions will be held in 3 separate Zoom breakout rooms.
    • Access: Zoom links will be emailed to registered attendees approximately a week prior and posted on this page a day or so before the event.
    • Session Recording: All Tuesday sessions as well as the KLAS Users' Group business meeting will be recorded. Birds-of-a-Feather sessions will not.

    Agenda:

    Tuesday, May 3

    Tuesday sessions will be Keystone presented and focused on sharing Keystone company and service updates and new KLAS features and functionality for LBPD, IRC, and others.

    TimeSession TitlePresenter
    1:00-2:15 PM ET KLAS Updates for Libraries for the Blind & Print Disabled Katy Patrick, Keystone Systems
    2:30-3:30 PM ET General Keystone Updates James Burts & Andrea Callicutt, Keystone Systems
    3:45-5:00 PM ET KLAS Updates for Instructional Resource Centers Katy Patrick, Keystone Systems

     

    Wednesday, May 4

    Wednesday features a KLAS Users' Group Business Meeting followed by user-moderated Birds-of-a-Feather sessions. Birds of a Feather (BoaF) sessions are an opportunity to exchange ideas in a casual, group discussion setting. Topics range from making the most of KLAS features to exploring broader service-related ideas. These sessions are not formal presentations with slides or software demonstrations. Instead, moderators launch the discussion and keep the conversation on topic.

    Each of Wednesday's concurrent Birds-of-a-Feather sessions will be accessed via one Zoom link. Once you enter the meeting, there will be 3 breakout rooms you can choose to join (one for each topic).

    TimeSession TypeSession TitlePresenter / ModeratorZoom Info
    1:00-2:15 PM ET General KLAS Users' Group Business Meeting Michael Lang, Kansas Talking Books
    2:30-3:30 PM ET Birds-of-a-Feather 1.  APH Integration 
    2.  Circulation
    3.  KLAS Administrator    		 1. Jared Leslie, Arizona Foundation for Blind Children
    2. Maureen Dorosinski, Florida Talking Book Libraries
    3. Michael Lang, Kansas Talking Books
    3:45-5:00 PM ET


    		 Birds-of-a-Feather


    		 1. IRC Queries & Reports 
    2. Reader Advisor
    3. Tech Services & Equipment    		 1. Jared Leslie, Arizona Foundation for Blind Children
    2. Sam Lundberg, New Mexico LBPD
    3. James Gleason, Perkins Library

     

    Dial-in Audio for ALL sessions:

    Use your phone to call the applicable phone number and then enter the appropriate Meeting ID and Passcode for the session when prompted.
     
    Dial-in for audio numbers:
            +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
            +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
            +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
            +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
            +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
            +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
    Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbdOJuBB39
     

    Registration:

    Registration is not required, but it will give us an idea of how many attendees plan to attend. Also, persons who register will receive an email approximately one week before the mini-conference with the agenda, Zoom links, and dial-in for audio numbers.

     

  • 2023 In Review

    Close up of an analog clock face with the hands pointing to the label: Time for Review.

    Now that we're into 2024 (with January flying by rapidly!), let's take a look back at the past year together.

    The 2023 Users' Conference was a return to in-person training, networking, and collaboration, but for the first time we also had a hybrid option! This format was tricky to run. Yet with the hard work of the Users' Group Programming and Logistics Committees we feel we achieve a good balance of in-person exclusives like providing in-person-only, hands-on training sessions each morning, online value such as ensuring front-line and specialist staff had options to attend only sessions relevant to them, and offering the ability for libraries unable to travel for conferences to still benefit from the conference, while also remaining accessible.

    You can find the presentations and handouts from the conference here: KLAS UC2023 Presentations & Handouts 

    Keystone staff also attended a number of other conferences, including the NLS Sub-Regionals and the APH Annual Conferences. These events provide another opportunity for us to connect with our users, and to learn about the challenges and opportunities your libraries and organizations face.

    Outside of these events, we strove to continue providing training throughout the year. This included the release of two new Manuals in our new format (Reader Adviser Manual and Transfers Manual). Each are designed to be friendly to use in a print or digital format including with a screen-reader, and I have more in the works! We also hosted webinars including Preparing for e-Braille and a KLAS Q&A with Katy, and continued providing online Administrator's Training sessions.

    Additionally, the klasusers.com forums were busy this year. Thank you to everyone who helped get the word out about catalog errors and reissued titles on the Cataloging forum, posted ideas and requests in the Development Suggestions forum, and weighed in on others' requests and questions. 

    In terms of development, we've been making progress on several large projects and released a whole lot of smaller improvements, new features, and bug fixes. Ongoing larger development projects include:

    1. the APH Ordering Integration which is now functioning live for Free Matter orders at our test site (with support for orders that require Shipping pending development on the APH end of the integration)
    2. the new WebOPAC, which was previewed at the conference and will include better support for series, serials, and duplication

    We know these are highly anticipated and continue to work towards getting them out to you.

    We have also been working extensively with Data Management and NLS to get PIMMS issues identified and fixed, implement Inactive Reason tracking, and lay the groundwork for the network libraries to take over distribution of NLS serials from the Magazine on Cartridge (MoC) program.

    Shout-out to the KLAS Development Advisory Committee (KDAC) for their invaluable help not just generating ideas and suggestions, but helping us monitor and evaluate development suggestions from the forum and other sources, ensure corner cases are considered and accounted for, and prioritize all these projects and more.

    As we carry on into the new year, I know we will have even more good things to share with you and look forward to the journey!

  • 2023 Julie Klauber Award Finalists

    The text

    Congratulations to Kimberly Tomlinson, Wisconsin Talking Book and Braille Library, and Maggie Witte, Kansas State Library, Talking Books Service, our two finalists for the 2023 Julie Klauber Award!The text

    You have each made a significant impact on your library, patrons, and your community! We hope sharing selections from the nomination submitted for you lets both you and others see just how much work you have done and how your efforts inspire others.

    The selected recipient of this year's award will be honored during a ceremony held on Monday, July 17 in Nashville, TN as part of the 2023 KLAS Users' Conference.

    Nominee: Kimberly Tomlinson, Wisconsin Talking Book and Braille Library

    Nominated by: Zarina Mohd Shah, Wisconsin Talking Book and Braille Library

    What service(s) has the nominee done in the spirit of Julie Klauber?

    Kim's work with the Audio & Braille Literacy Enhancement (ABLE) is one of her outstanding achievements. ABLE is a nonprofit organization that works with WTBBL by brailling and recording Wisconsin authors, our "Bulletin Board" quarterly newsletter, DVD catalogs, Milwaukee Magazine, and more. ABLE also provides essential services to the visually impaired and print disabled in local communities, schools, and other institutions and individuals nationwide, including braille transcriptions, tactile representations of graphs, diagrams, pictures, and audio recordings, at an affordable cost.

    ABLE relies on donations and grants to offer services for the print-disabled. In writing local grant proposals, ABLE needs, for instance, KLAS Readership and Circulation statistics to add support for their services. Kim performs the crucial role of diligently gathering and delivering valuable data to ABLE, including the number of WTBBL patrons in each county, circulation numbers of a recorded local author from a specific county, and other interesting facts from the KLAS data (and NLS BARD) ABLE could work with.

    The number of local grants received with help from data compiled by Kim from KLAS makes it possible for ABLE to offer their services. ABLE appreciates Kim's important role in supporting their organization and mission that has a lasting impact on our print-disabled communities.

    How do they affect your library / community and / or the KLAS Users’ Community?

    Kim's knowledge and understanding of KLAS were invaluable in assisting WTBBL's successful migration to the new DOD system at the end of 2021. In hindsight, our work seemed seamless during that busy period. Kim's efforts were instrumental in helping WTBBL staff complete the migration smoothly. For example, Kim trained staff to modify and update patron's records in preparation for DOD and for patrons to pick up their books in the new format. Kim's guidance helped us complete the migration smoothly. WTBBL staff appreciated the new system and shared the knowledge of the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the new DOD system with patrons. For instance, there are no longer due dates for digital audiobooks. WTBBL did our best with Kim's guidance and sealed our expectations of her as our KLAS Guru.

    Nominee: Maggie Witte, Kansas State Library Talking Books Service

    Nominated by: Michael Lang, Kansas State Library Talking Books Service 

    What service(s) has the nominee done in the spirit of Julie Klauber?

    Recently, Maggie has coordinated and led the network LBPD summer library reading program working group. The group allows library staff to share ideas for accessible summer reading programs. I don’t know if others agree, but I feel that NLS’s new commitment to providing resources to support summer reading is a direct result of this working group. Maggie is also an active member of the NLS summer reading committee.

    This year she created a circulating braille awareness kit. The kit, filled with braille books, games, and activities, will introduce sighted children to the braille alphabet and teach them the importance of braille for readers.

    Last year Maggie partnered with the Wamego Public library to provide braille overlay labels for their StoryWalk. Since then she has provided braille for four more Storywalks and plans to continue this project with WPL and hopefully expand to other libraries. She continues to lead virtual monthly and a quarterly book discussion groups and provides excellent individual service to our users.

    How do they affect your library / community and / or the KLAS Users’ Community?

    The summer reading resources shared from the working group and the increased support of NLS promise to create a much more robust and accessible summer reading program for talking book users nationwide and allow for libraries with fewer resources to provide a wonderful program.

    With her programs, she creates a community of patrons across Kansas, who share many commonalities, but due to distance may never had met if not for Maggie.

    She continues to advocate for and raise awareness of the accessibility needs of print disabled through activities like the StoryWalk, braille kit, and presentations at professional conferences.

    Overall, she provides empathetic friendly service to our patrons, working hard to find solutions that fit their needs.

  • 2023 Julie Klauber Award Info

    Screenshot of the Julie Klabuer Award winners page from klas.com.

    The Julie Klauber Award is one way we at Keystone Systems recognize the invaluable support that volunteers and staff provide to their organizations and their patrons. Each organization may nominate one staff member or volunteer using the Julie Klauber Award Nomination form. The deadline for nominations is Friday, May 5.

    Who was Julie Klauber?

    Julie Klauber was a national expert and leader on disability issues and was instrumental in helping develop Keystone's growing national presence. In 2012, Julie received the ASCLA Francis Joseph Campbell Award recognizing her work advancing library services for patrons who are blind and print disabled. Julie served as the director of the Talking Books Plus Library in Suffolk, County, NY and authored several articles on library resources and services for people with disabilities. Additionally, she created and maintained the newsletter Disability Resources Monthly and the corresponding website www.disabilityresources.org. Julie passed away on September 3, 2002 after a long, brave struggle with cancer.

    A word about Julie Klauber from her former coworker:

    Valerie Lewis sent the below email to the KLASUsers listserv on January 24, 2011:

    It has been more than eight years since Julie passed away. Her name comes up every day.....truly, it does. I work with 5 other people who worked with Julie for many years. I sit in the office that was once hers. Her husband and sons are often in my home. I work with her husband Avery, to continue the important work that she and he started many years before I was lucky enough to meet them.

    Julie was a librarian, but more she was the truest advocate for access to library programs, services and materials for all, particularly people with disabilities.

    In addition to being the librarian for the sub-regional library that served Long Island, NY, Julie and her husband established a non-profit organization that provided information and referral resources for librarians, service providers and individuals living with disabilities.......long before and into the earlier days....of the internet.

    Julie spent truly all of her time making sure that people with disabilities had access to information.....all information. She created partnerships with local and national corporations that brought assistive technology to local libraries. She created library resources in alternative formats and worked with libraries and librarians across the country, to promote accessible library services.

    It has been my honor to be a member of the Julie Klauber Award Committee. It has given me the opportunity to read about lbph staff and volunteers who create new and innovative ways of making library materials, services and programs accessible to their patrons. Something still so difficult to do, even in these technologically advanced times.

    You may think that the daily practices and procedures of operating a library for the blind and physically disabled are hum-drum and nothing out of the ordinary, but think again. It is through the work and creativity of each and every member or your organization, that people with disabilities have access to information....something we treasure so dearly and take so for granted.

    On that note, we encourage you to think about how the wheels of your organization turn and who are the people turning it.

    With warm regards,

    Valerie Lewis, Director
    Long Island Talking Book Library

    Who can be nominated for the Julie Klauber Award?

    Each KLAS library or organization may nominate one staff member or volunteer who: 

    • Works with KLAS in their daily job functions.
    • Has demonstrated outstanding service to their organization and / or their community in the spirit of Julie Klauber during their time with the library.
    • Will appreciate and benefit from attending the KLAS Users' Conference.

    Please use the Julie Klauber Award Nomination Form to submit your nominee's info before the Friday, May 5 nomination deadline.

    What does the award recipient receive and how are they selected?

    The selected Julie Klauber Award Recipient receives a trip1 to the 2023 KLAS Users' Conference to be held in Nashville, TN July 17-20 and will be honored as part of an award ceremony held Monday, July 17 including receiving a personalized plaque to commemorate their achievement.

    Award finalists will be selected from all nominated individuals by the Julie Klauber Award committee2. James Burts, CEO of Keystone Systems, will then determine the 2023 recipient after consulting with all the finalists' supervisors.

    Biographies of previous Julie Klauber Award Recipients are available at the Julie Klauber Award Winners page.

    2 2023 Julie Klauber Award Committee Members include:

    • Chandra Thornton, Palm Beach County Library System, 2016 Julie Klauber Award Recipient
    • Teresa Kalber, Colorado Talking Book Library, 2011 Julie Klauber Award Recipient
    • Lisa Nelson, Utah State Library Program for the Blind and Disabled
    • Kimberly Tomlinson, Wisconsin Talking Book and Braille Library
    • Pepper Watson, Oklahoma Library for the Blind, Accessible Instructional Materials Center
    • Erin Pawlus, Arizona Talking Book Library
    • Andrea Ewing Callicutt, Keystone Systems, Inc.

  • 2024 KLAS Mini-Conference IRC Track Recordings

    Screenshot of the title slide from the KLAS New Features for IRC sessions

    Below are the recordings, presentations, and other resources shared in the instructional resource / materials center (IRC / IMC) track of the 2024 KLAS Users' Mini-Conference.

    Note: You must be logged in to view / access content.


    Please log in to download content. Thank you!

  • 2024 KLAS Mini-Conference LBPD Track Recordings

    Screenshot of the title slide from the KLAS New Features for LBPD sessions

    Below are the recordings, presentations, and other resources shared in the library for the blind and print disabled track of the 2024 KLAS Users' Mini-Conference.

    Note: You must be logged in to view / access content.


    Please log in to download content. Thank you!

     

  • 2024 KLASUsers' Mini-Conference

    2024 KLASUsers' Mini-Conference header graphic

    2024 KLASUsers' Mini-Conference schedule graphicIn May of 2022, we held the first KLASUsers' Mini-Conference to provide space and time for Keystone Staff and KLAS Users' to connect and learn from one another as well as share / discuss Keystone company updates and KLAS new features, tips & tricks, and new development suggestions. 2024's Mini-Conference will offer all of that and MORE! 

    The 2024 KLASUsers' Mini-Conference will be a free, online event accessible via Zoom held:

    • Tuesday, May 14 - 1:00-5:00 PM Eastern Time / 10:00 AM-2:00 PM Pacific
    • Wednesday, May 15 - 1:00-5:00 PM Eastern Time / 10:00 AM-2:00 PM Pacific

    Add the event to your calendar now, then review the initial schedule, and submit your registration form. If you use the below "Add to Calendar" button, the day / time of the conference as well as relevant Zoom connection info will be included.

    Zoom

    We will use one Zoom meeting link with 3 breakout rooms during the Mini-Conference. Attendees will be able to navigate between breakout rooms as they like.

    To move between breakout rooms:

    1. Select Breakout Rooms  in your meeting controls.
    2. This will display the list of open breakout rooms including: Glenwood, Raleigh, & Pinecrest
    3. Select the number to the right of breakout room you wish to join, select Join, then confirm selecting Join.
    4. Repeat as necessary to join other breakout rooms.

    Zoom Accessibility:

    We will have captions enabled, and Zoom provides an extensive list of hotkeys and keyboard shortcuts to help users navigate meetings.

    Sessions

    This year will again feature sessions with topics of interest for all KLAS Users, as well as more specific Instructional Resource Center (IRC) and Library for the Blind and Print Disabled (LBPD) sessions. New for 2024 will be two sessions featuring updates from staff of the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) and from the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS). 

    Session Types:

    General sessions will share information and updates relevant to  all KLAS Users, and no conflicting sessions will be scheduled at the same time they are offered. During these sessions, there will limited time for questions and answers.

    Workshop sessions are presented by Keystone staff member or a guest speaker. Attendees are encouraged to ask questions throughout the session. These in-depth presentations share information via different tools such as slides, live examples, and / or user experiences.

    Birds-of-a-Feather (BoaF) sessions give participants the opportunity to exchange ideas in a group discussion setting. All KLAS Users are invited to participate in the BoaF sessions they feel are relevant to them. However, we do indicate for each session whether an IRC or LBPD audience might find it more applicable. Topics range from making the most of KLAS features to exploring broader service-related ideas. These sessions are not formal presentations with slides or software demonstrations. Instead, the format is casual and open. Moderators launch the discussion and keep the conversation on topic; participants are asked to come prepared to share and learn.

    Tuesday, May 14

    This is an initial schedule, and sessions are subject to change. Want to get more involved with the Users' group? Volunteering to moderate a BoaF session is a great way to get started!

     Time

     Breakout Room

     Session Type

     Session

     Speaker(s)
     1:00-2:15 PM ET  Raleigh  Workshop

     Title: KLAS Updates for Library for the Blind and Print Disabled Users
     Description: Learn more details and ask questions about new library for the blind and print disabled focused features added to KLAS since our last conference.

    		  Katy Patrick, Keystone Systems
     1:00-2:15 PM ET  Glenwood  Workshop  Updates from American Printing House for the Blind (APH) Staff  Anthony Phillips, APH
     2:30-3:30 PM ET  Glenwood  General

     Title: State of Keystone: Company Updates & Highlights
     Description: What has Keystone as a company been up to in the last year?

    		  James Burts & Drea Callicutt,
     Keystone Systems
     3:45-5:00 PM ET  Raleigh  Workshop  Updates from National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) Staff  Jason Yasner, David Perrota, &
     Justine Walp, NLS
     3:45-5:00 PM ET  Glenwood  Workshop

     Title: KLAS Updates for Instructional Resource / Materials Center Users
     Description: Learn more details and ask questions about new instructional resource center focused features added to KLAS since our last conference.

    		  Katy Patrick, Keystone Systems

     

    Wednesday, May 15 

     Time

     Breakout Room

     Session Type

     Session

     Speaker / Moderator
     1:00-2:15 PM ET  Glenwood  General

     Title: KLAS Users' Group Business Meeting
     Description: KLAS Users’ Group Business Meeting including committee reports, VP election information, future conference discussion, etc. Agenda to be published prior to the conference.

    		  Traci Timmons, KLAS Users'
     Group President
     2:30-3:30 PM ET  Raleigh  Birds-of-a-Feather (IRC)

     Topic: Census & Yearly Updates
     Description: How do you go about your APH Census process? What tips do you have for keeping track of everything that needs updating at the end of a school year? Come talk about all those annual projects and tasks! 

    		  Marion Campbell, Keystone Systems
     2:30-3:30 PM ET  Glenwood  Birds-of-a-Feather (LBPD)

     Topic: Reader Advisor
     Description: Reader Advisors, let's use this time to share experiences, issues, ideas, anecdotes, resources, etc. This session will not be recorded, to promote an open exchange of ideas.

    		  Sara Zapotocky, Arizona Talking Book Library
     2:30-3:30 PM ET  Pinecrest  Birds-of-a-Feather (LBPD)

     Topic: LBPD Reports & Queries
     Description: Whether you are a pro or a newbie, the KLAS Birds of a Feather for Reports and Queries has something for you! Come talk to your Talking Book Library colleagues and get tips on anything from circulation statistics to batch loads. Even if you are a pro, you might learn something new! This session will not be recorded to promote the exchange of ideas

    		  Lee Anne Hooley, Worcester Talking Book Library & Maureen Dorosinski, Florida Braille and Talking Book Library
     3:45-5:00 PM ET   Raleigh   Birds-of-a-Feather (IRC)  Topic: IRC Reports & Queries
     Description: Do you have a favorite report? A query that made your work easier? Come share with fellow IRC users--and you're bound to leave with a few new ones to try!    		  Marion Campbell, Keystone Systems
     3:45-5:00 PM ET  Glenwood  Birds-of-a-Feather (LBPD)

     Topic: Circulation
     Description: Let’s talk about circulation! What tips and tricks can you teach and / or share with your circulation colleagues? What are you interested in learning? Come discuss with fellow KLAS Users. This session will not be recorded to promote an open exchange of ideas.

    		  Jesse McGarity, Virginia Beach Public Library, Accessible Resources & Services
     3:45-5:00 PM ET  Pinecrest  Birds-of-a-Feather (LBPD)

     Topic: Outreach
     Description: Awareness is a common challenge among LBPDs. Come share the successes you have encountered conducting outreach. What innovative tool have you used that has worked? How are you promoting the support of Reading Disabilities, and what events are you attending that create the most significant impact? This will be an open and frank discussion with the intent to share ideas. 

    		  Lori Brown, Wolfner Talking Book & Braille Library & Judy Gray, Indiana Talking Book & Braille Library

     

    Registration

    Registration is not required, but doing so helps us know approximately how many persons to plan on for each session. You will automatically be emailed a copy of your registration upon submission.

  • 8/15/2024 KLAS Users' Group Officer & Committee Meet & Greet

    Join us at 3 PM ET / Noon PT Thursday, August 15 for a KLAS Users' Group Officer & Committee Chair Meet & Greet!

    Per your KLAS Users' Group Bylaws, KLAS Users' Group Officer transitions occurred on August 1, 2024. Now, your 2024-2025 Officers' and Committee Chairs want to have a chance to introduce themselves to you and answer your questions.

    Are you interested in what being an officer entails / what role do they play in the users' group, and / or how your program, logistics or development advisory committee operates? This session was an opportunity for KLASUsers' to get answers to these these questions and more!

    KLAS Users' Group Officers:

    • Traci Timmons, Immediate Past President
    • Maureen Dorosinski, President
    • Josh Easter, Vice President
    • Sara Zapatocky, Secretary

    KLAS Users' Group Committee Chairs:

    • Jesse McGarity, Program & KLAS Development Advisory Committee (KDAC)
    • Maureen Dorosinski, Logistics

  • A look back: 2022 in Review

    Photo out the driver's window of a car, looking at the side-view mirror. 2022 is written in a large stencil font, in reverse since it's a mirror image. The background is bold blue and yellow with textured stripes as if it is flying past.

    Another year is in the books, and we’re stoked to be officially in a conference year! But, before we barrel ahead, let’s take a look back at 2022.

    Around the Office

    The Keystone offices were a little less quiet this year as some of the staff have transitioned back to working from the office on a regular basis. However, there have been even bigger transitions as we've seen some staffing changes.

    Longtime developer Brian White and customer support specialist John Owen retired, but new faces George and Katharina have joined the family in their stead.

    Events & Training

    This past summer, we held our 2022 KLAS Mini-Conference to help fill the gap between conference years. Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make it a successful event! We hope to see you all again either in-person or online for the 2023 Users Conference!

    We also held the first online IRC Administrator's Training! Thanks as well to our first round of IRC Admins, and we hope everything you learned has been serving you well.

    Last but not least, we want to highlight the Onboarding New KLAS Users webinar. If you've had staffing changes of your own, or expect to bring on some new staff in the new year, make sure to check it out!

    KLAS Development

    Finally, 2022 has been a big year for KLAS development, even if it has sometimes seemed quiet from the user's side, as we made big strides in some big projects. Here's some of the highlights:

    • Scribes can now unlock NLS Cartridges making it easier to repurpose physical collections and quicker to start using new white cartridges. 
    • To meet PNDB funding requirements, a major integration project with Rolka-Loube was implemented and is in Live use now as agencies complete their year-end reporting.
    • The New WebOPAC, while not yet ready for release, is coming along beautifully. Thank you everyone for your feedback and feature requests!
    • APH Integration for our IRC customers is another ongoing project which, while not yet in Live release, should be ready to go very soon.

    And of course, there was much, much more--all of which can be found in the 7.7 Release Lists. 

  • August & September 2022 KLAS Users' Programs

    Join us at 3:30 PM ET / 12:30 PM PT August 25, 2022 for a KLAS LBPD Users' Roundtable discussing strategies for how to handle the cancellation of large print Talking Book Topics.

    In collaboration with the KLAS Users' Group Program Committee, we're excited to announce the next two upcoming KLAS Users' Programs. In August, there will be a roundtable for staff of libraries for the blind and print disabled and in September Katy will be hosting a webinar for all KLAS Users' who want a preview of the new KLAS WebOPAC. Mark your calendars now for one or both of these events and join us! More details about each are below.

    8/25/2022 KLAS LBPD Roundtable: Talking Book Topics

    Date: Thursday, August 25

    Time: 3:30 PM Eastern / 12:30 PM Pacific

    Description: With the recent loss of the physical Large Print Talking Book Topics from our Reader Advisory Tool Box, libraries are crafting new strategies to keep readers informed about new titles being added to the collection. Attend our August roundtable to hear how other libraries are addressing these changes and share your own successes in addressing the changes with TBT. 

    Hosts:

    • Michael Lang, Kansas Talking Books Service
    • Maureen Dorosinki, Florida Braille & Talking Book Libraries
    • Crystal Grimes, Oregon Talking Book & Braille Library

    Recording:

    9/22/2022 Keystone Webinar: WebOPAC Revamp

    Save the Date! On September 22, 2022 at 3 PM ET / Noon PT Keystone will host a webinar for ALL KLAS Users' sharing the latest in the ongoing revamp of the KLAS WebOPAC.This webinar will be recorded and posted to klasusers.com for later review.

    Date: Thursday, September 22

    Time: 3:00 PM Eastern / Noon Pacific

    Description: You've probably heard the good news about an upcoming revamp of the WebOPAC for LBPH. Ready for more info and a first look at our prototype? Take a look at what we have so far and provide feedback to help shape the future OPAC!

    Presenter: Katy Patrick, Keystone Systems

    Zoom Link & Audio Dial-in Info:

  • Birds of a Feather Moderator Guidelines

    Birds of a Feather Moderator Guidelines
    1. Be quiet. Your job is to help the conversation happen.
    2. Be firm. Let them know you are the leader and hope to make this worthwhile.
    3. Be prepared. Know the subject. It is hard to steer a discussion that you don't understand. Have ready possible questions, or whatever conversation starters you think will work.
    4. Be able to multitask. This is a biggie. You will need to listen to the current discussion, while watching the time, how long the current discussion has gone on, and how to move on.
    5. Be deferential. You're not the star. The audience is. You're just there to keep things moving along.
    6. Keep on track. While you're not the star, you need to be the audience's advocate on time, answers, and issues. Cut off chatterers. Cut off discussion if it is going on too long or off track. Indicate that maybe this topic is something to bring up at the end of the session or in another venue.
    7. Be timely. This is so important. Get the session started on time, keep it moving, and get it done on time. Let people see you confidently keep the discussion moving.
    8. Be fun. If you don't have fun, your panel won't have fun, and your audience won't have fun. The world does not need more unfun conference panels.


    Suggestions:

    • Have two moderators. Depending on the group’s size split the group for a period of time and then meet together as whole for a group wide discussion.
    • Have something to give to those willing to participate. It doesn’t have to be much or expensive, e.g. penny candy, pencils, bookmarks, etc. Reward those who are willing to talk.

    Adapted from: 10 Rules for Being a Great Panel Moderator (Accessed: December 4, 2008)

  • Coming Soon: Duplication on Demand Roundtable

    Coming Soon: Duplication on Demand Roundtable

    "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.

    During this roundtable, three representatives of libraries using Gutenberg and three representatives of libraries using Scribe will each discuss their experience implementing duplication equipment, decisions regarding policy and staff changes, and more! After each shares a brief description of their process, there will be an opportunity to ask questions, discuss issues they've brought up, etc.

    Gutenberg Panellists:

    • Hope Williams, Nevada Talking Book Services
    • Elke Bruton, Oregon Talking Book & Braille Library
    • Ricardo Cisneros, San Francsico Public Library - Talking Book and Braille Center

    Scribe Panellists:

    • Connie Sullivan, South Dakota Braille & Talking Book Library
    • Angela Fisher Hall, Alabama Regional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
    • Nancy Holt, Idaho Talking Book Library

    Before the roundtable...

    To help you prepare for this roundtable we encourage you to review Duplication Info Quick Reference page where you will find articles, quick tips, how-to documents, and more related to using either Gutenberg or Scribe. Several of the documents have just been updated to reflect changes in recent versions of KLAS, so make sure to check those dates to make sure you have the most current info!

    You can also help our panellists prepare for this session by posting questions to this KLASUsers Discussion Forum post. Of course, day-of questions are also welcome, but posting your questions ahead of time will ensure that we get to them (even if you can't make the session itself) and that the panellists will be able to consider their answers.

    Access Info:

    Tuesday, 12/15/2020 @ 3pm Eastern Time / Noon Pacific

    To connect:
    Google Meet Link: meet.google.com/rmv-fgvs-eba

    Dial-in audio option:
    ‪US‬ ‪+1 575-459-0037‬
    PIN: ‪950 920 249#‬‪

  • From the Desk of the President

    A gold and black

    When I began my job at the Washington Talking Book and Braille Library (WTBBL) in March of 2022, I understood that being Managing Librarian would include, among other things, being the KLAS Administrator. I had been an ILS administrator in the past, but this was for systems where being the "administrator" really just meant you were the one with the most knowledge about the system (which meant, well, not a lot), the one to make the helpdesk calls, and the one to be the vendor's point of contact for the annual payment and the up-sells. For KLAS, being an administrator means taking on a much more active role in understanding and promoting the ILS’s functionality, reporting, and finding solutions for staff and patrons.

    As a member of the KLAS Users' Group Officers, I've gained significant insight into how things work, and can work, and am truly excited about attending the KLAS Users' Conference 2023: A Perfect Tenn next week—where I know I'll learn even more. And, as you’ve likely seen from the conference schedule, you don’t have to be an administrator to find lots of sessions that will help you in your particular job. I’m looking forward to an in-person conference (my second since 2019) and to see KLAS folks face-to-face who I bother an inordinate number of times each week (you know who you are!)

    In the next few days, you’ll have a number of opportunities to engage with Keystone, other NLS Network and IRC Library staff. I hope you’ll take these opportunities!

    Attend the Conference (July 17-20, 2023):

    There’s still time to sign up, especially if you plan to attend virtually: https://klasusers.com/klas-uc2023

    Attend Thursday's KLAS Users' Group Business Meeting & General Sessions via Zoom (free to all):

    Thursday, July 20 Agenda(All times are Central Standard Time):

    • 11:15 AM - KLAS Users' Group Business Meeting
    • 12:00 PM - Answering Your Parking Lot Questions
    • 12:40 PM - Reconsidering Circulation - Based on circulation statistics gathered from a number of libraries, Keystone's Mitake Burts will present a birds-eye-view of changes to circulation patterns across the network of NLS libraries and open a discussion on where the circulation may be heading next
    • 1:25 PM - Conference Closing Remarks

    Thursday, July 20 Zoom Meeting Info:

    Read the proposed changes to the KLAS Users’ Group Bylaws:

    We’ll be voting whether to accept these changes at the Business Meeting:

    Become a KLAS Users’ Group Officer:

    We will be seeking nominations for Secretary during our annual business meeting on Thursday, July 20. The Secretary’s role is defined and the election process outlined in KLAS Users’ Group Bylaws, Article VI. Officers. Come join the Users’ Group Officers!

    I look forward to seeing you next week in person or virtually. Thanks so much for being such an engaged group!

    Best,
    Traci Timmons, President, KLAS Users’ Group

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