Mark your calendar and start making your plans for March 17-20, 2025 to join us as Keystone and the Indiana State Library, Talking Book and Braille Library come together to bring the KLAS Users' Conference to Indianapolis, IN!! More info will be coming soon, so be on the lookout.

This week's KeyNotes blog post is a guest post from KLAS User Development Advisory Committee Members Jesse McGarity, Virginia Beach Public Library Accessible Resources and Services and Barnaby Camp, Georgia Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled.

Thank you to everyone that responded to the KLAS Development and Advisory Committee (KDAC) survey. Of the 69 respondents, 88.4% worked for a Library for the Blind and Print Disabled (LBPD), 10.1% for an Instructional Resource / MaterialsCenter (IRC / IMC), while the remaining 1.5% identified as a School Library / Association / Other. The sample included librarians, reader advisors, BARD administrators, and other professionals. The purpose of the survey was to identify to KLAS developers the improvements or updated features that were the highest priority for users.

94% of respondents said they used the patron module daily, with the book search as the most used function, while 68% used the catalog module with heading maintenance as the most mentioned. Some users wished the search function would use Boolian operators. The highest priority for all respondents was to add an "Undo Function" for accidental merges in heading maintenance, restoring both headings to books and likes/dislikes to patrons. Next, was the ability to mark items previously marked as lost as something else (e.g., Lost-Returned) when returned, clarifying their status. Following, was to add a button that transfers current search parameters from "Find" to a query set in another window, enabling quick toggling through book records for copy/pasting subjects when "Title" exists in multiple formats.

There was a strong interest from IRCs for linking a related patron record as a 'contact,' ensuring that changes to preferred contact information on that record are reflected in the primary record. The most highly ranked potential update for LBPHs was checking the PIMMS database for existing patrons with the same name and birth year when adding a new patron record. Other high-priority improvements for LBPHs included allowing composite subject likes/dislikes for patron preferences, allowing users to sort orders by the last status date, and creating a new order type to send cartridges to patrons that don't count against their cartridge limit (the NSCutoff), also the ability to account for multiple medium/reading level situations on the same patron/institution record, for example to allow for “Large print - K-3," "Braille - 4-7," "Digital books - 8," all on the same account and to allow libraries to retain pre-bundled duplication orders .

Finally, in the open “red stapler” section, several respondents identified arranging series order in the service queue as one of their more tedious tasks. The question was asked on what would be the best way for KLAS to handle series. The majority preferred option B, which sends out the earliest book in a series that is not marked "Has/Had" and positions it relative to other books in the same series in the queue.

Thanks again to everyone who responded!

On February 16, 2024 Maureen Dorosinki, Vice President, KLAS Users' Group shared the below message on the KLASUsers' listservs. Based on the overwhelming positive response to it, we're also posting it here so it is easier to find and share with others.

Valentine’s Day means a variety of things to many people in various stages of life. It used to mean buying a pack of assorted valentines shaped like Garfield and writing your name 30 times to sign them and sneaking in a smiley face to the cute boy. It meant hoping you were going to get a carnation in high school, and be able to carry it around, and then, have your face burn with embarrassment when you didn’t get one. It meant finding The One, and today means you are happy making chocolate chip cookies from scratch after work because those are the only sweets you can justify eating on the terribly restrictive cholesterol diet you are on.

At work, it also means something altogether different, it has turned into caring about something bigger than us and doing it for the most part without ever meeting the people you serve. It means staying late to make sure the e-readers are plugged in so they can go out the next day. It means sticking with the call even though you have 20 more to do and the phone keeps ringing. It means trying to get ahead on the hamster wheel because you care. You care about the thousands of people you don’t see, as much as you care about the few you might talk to.

But I’m asking all of us to do one more thing this Valentine’s month. Take a day where you can allow yourself to fall off the hamster wheel and make one extra call. You could call that person who always has something positive to say and is so lovely you wish everyone was like them. No, I challenge us to call that person you dread calling. The person who you know lives alone…and is crabby. Call them and just say hello. Call them and thank them for being a patron. Reach out with empathy. You may think you know their story, but we only know one page of their story. Maybe even a half page, with something spilled on it.

Make this Valentine’s include giving without expecting something in return. You gave the gift of yourself and made someone’s day a little brighter, a little easier.

Speaking of easy, KLAS makes all your days easier. They can get us out of a pickle and show us that maybe something is going to be easier than you thought.

Post something on the KLAS Users forum! You may get something done that changes your procedures and moves your department forward.

Valentine’s Day used to mean waiting for gifts and being able to show off what you got. Now it means giving quietly because you truly care and know what working for a higher purpose means.

Maybe not everyone is completely there, but trust me, one day you might be.

Thanks for all you do to support each other, and the patrons.

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:

• Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87314746960?pwd=TDBMM3IySk1BcXhMdS9odXBWbVV0Zz09
• Meeting ID: 873 1474 6960
• Passcode: 412790
• Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kd1J0VRASH

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

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

• July_2023_KLAS_Users_Group_Bylaws_Proposed_Changes.docx
• July_2023_KLAS_Users_Group_Bylaws_Proposed_Changes.pdf

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

On Wednesday, June 21 at 3:00 PM Eastern / Noon Pacific we held our most recent KLAS Users' Roundtable: KDAC Q&A.

During this online session KLAS Users had opportunity to meet KLAS Development Advisory Committee (KDAC) representatives, ask them questions about being on the committee and / or how it operates, share ideas for improvements to KLAS, and more!

Current KDAC Members include:

• Dan Malosh, Committee Chair, Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library
• Traci Timmons, KLAS Users' Group Officers' Liaison, Washington Talking Book and Braille Library
• Barnaby Camp, Georgia Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled
• Christina Quintana, Arizona Instructional Resource Center
• Donald Salvato, Xavier Society for the Blind
• Dorothy Hughes, Maryland School for the Blind
• Jesse McGarity, Virginia Beach Public Library, Accessible Resources and Services
• Pepper Watson, Oklahoma Accessible Instructional Materials Center
• Sally Shreck, Maryland Instructional Resource Center
• Sarah Smedley, Palm Beach County Library Talking Books
• Zoelinna Schar, Nevada Talking Book Services

KLAS Users' Roundtable: KDAC Q&A Chat Transcript & Recording

• 06-21-2023_KDAC_Q&A_Chat_Transcript.txt

Follow-up notes from Katy: The instructions for changing font size in KLAS are now available in the Knowledge Base!

However, to add or remove stopwords, you must contact customer support so that the appropriate indexing can be done after the change. Additionally, we believe all libraries are set up with the usual stopwords (a, an, the)--if that does not seem to be the case for your library, please contact customer support with example screenshots.

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!

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.

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, Maureen Dorosinski!

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

Maureen Dorosinski, Librarian / Production Supervisor, Florida Bureau of Braille and Talking Book Library Services

Biography: My name is Maureen Dorosinski, I am the Librarian and Production Supervisor at the Florida regional library, and head of the recording studio since 2015. I use all modules of KLAS: Administration, Patron, Catalog, Equipment, and Serials. I am the lead in coordinating the Florida Duplication on Demand changeover and am gaining a greater understanding of what makes a successful Dup on Demand program.

I am part of the NLS Subject Heading working group, and I am expanding our program offerings, including an Early Literacy Program.

I have a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism with and External Specialty of Theatre from Michigan State University, and a Master of Science in Library and Information Studies from Florida State University. I specialized in Youth and Reference Services, with a certificate in Youth Services. Native American Studies is a passion. I have a background in radio.

I love running and crafts and can be found in a thrift shop on the weekends.

Statement of Goals: To be part of a solution that helps us manage and keep up with the incoming new MARC records from NLS, while a cooperative solution to challenges such as DBC subject headings, commercial audiobooks, and incorporating Rating Unrated Books.

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.

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 President of the KLAS Users' Group. Please meet your candidate for the open Users' Group President position, Traci Timmons!

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

KLAS Users' Group 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 the spring of 2022. 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.

Statement of Goals:

I have enjoyed my, albeit short, stint on the KLAS Users Committee as Vice President and want to continue my work through the President role. I'm excited about the KLAS Users' Conference--A Perfect Tenn: KLAS UC2023--in July in Nashville and would relish being part of the team that makes it a truly memorable conference. I am the KLAS administrator at WTBBL and have really come to appreciate, even more, how KLAS uniquely addresses the work of LBPD and IRC libraries, and how the KLAS Users Committee supports this great vendor-libraries relationship. I am a strong manager, advocate, collaborator, and problem solver--and will continue to bring those qualities to the role of President. Thank you for your consideration!

It’s happening; the first in-person KLAS conference since 2019! I am looking forward to traveling to Nashville this summer for A Perfect Tenn: KLAS UC2023 and I hope to see many of you there. We know not everyone can travel and are happy to be able to offer an online option for those who can’t. But if you’re sitting on the fence about which one to choose, I’m here to offer a gentle nudge toward the face-to-face option with my top five reasons to attend the UC2023 in person.

1. Hands On Sessions: Have you checked out the proposed schedule for this conference yet? Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday each start with a two-hour hands-on training block that is only available on site. I’ve been to an in-person training with Keystone staff and can guarantee you’ll walk away with something new.
2. Meet Keystone Staff: Speaking of staff, getting to know the Keystone staff and drilling down into the nitty gritty of KLAS with them is a fantastic learning opportunity.
3. Spark New Ideas: I always come back from a conference ready to implement big changes. From my recent experience, that list hasn’t been as long with online conferences. The conversational nature of an in-person conference seems to inspire more ideas than the online format, where I find myself drawn away from my computer screen to take care of day-to-day tasks.
4. Networking: Meet your peers from across the country. Learn how they do things. Find new ways to use KLAS. Get recruited for a committee. Enjoy the opening reception with great food and entertainment! I’m really excited to tour the Tennessee School for the Blind and learn about the services they provide to their students.
5. Share Your Expertise: This one is a cheat. You can share your knowledge with the KLAS Users’ Group in either format. Whichever you choose, we want to hear from you. You can help make this an extraordinary learning experience by sharing your expertise and creativity with colleagues from other organizations and libraries! Submit your proposals on the KLAS Users’ website.

Whether attending in person or online, early-bird registration closes on April 30. Make your plans soon to save some money. Visit the registration page for details.

Hoping to learn something new or touch base with Keystone staff? We've got some great training and networking opportunities on the calendar, with more in the works! Let's take a look at what we have coming up:

Online KLAS LBPD Administrator Training - March 27-30

The next online session of KLAS Administrator training for staff of Libraries for the Blind and Print Disabled will be held the afternoons of March 27-30. If you act as the KLAS Admin for your library and have never taken (or it's been a long while since you've attended) KLAS Admin Training, we encourage you to join us!

This training is done via Zoom, sessions are recorded and provided to attendees for later review, and allows you to get down and dirty in parts of KLAS aimed to help you improve service for your patrons and give you the knowledge to better support your staff and library as they use KLAS. Cost is $600 / attendee and each must have the authority to change records and policies for their KLAS system.

Find out more and then register for a session via these articles:

• Online Administrator's Training
• Administrator’s Training – What to Expect

E-Braille Circulation Roundtable - Date TBD

During the year of a KLAS Users' Conference, the Program Committee focuses their efforts on eliciting sessions for and building the agenda for the conference, instead of offering an online program every month. However, we still aim to host one webinar each quarter (other than the one in which the conference takes place) to address more timely concerns and help keep everyone in-touch and up-to-date. 

For our first quarter offering this year, we're seeking panelists for a Roundtable discussing the best ways to prepare for the NLS refreshable braille devices and manage E-Braille circulation. The session will be scheduled based on panelist availability.

If you want to participate, please contact our session organizers, James Gleason at Perkins Library and Katy Patrick at Keystone Systems. We'd also love to hear what questions you might have, topics you want to see discussed, or tips you have to share!

National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled Regional Conferences

We're excited to have the opportunity to again attend NLS conferences in person to see and connect with you. Keystone will send two staff members to each of the three regional conferences this year. In addition to hosting the KLAS Users' Meetings, we hope to attend conference sessions, be available for informal discussions, and learn about your challenges, new initiatives, and more!

Dates / times of each KLAS User meeting:

• Western Regional NLS Conference - Wednesday, April 26, at 5 PM
• Northern / Southern Regional NLS Conference - Wednesday, May 3, at 11:30 AM
• Midlands Regional NLS Conference - Tuesday, May 16, at 2 PM (tentative; final schedule pending)

2023 KLAS Users' Conference - July 17-20

This one's a no-brainer, but you know we can't help it. This is the biggest opportunity we've had for in-person training and networking since our 2019 conference and it will offer even more ways to connect with other KLAS Users' since it's our first HYBRID conference! The KLAS Users' Program Committee and Keystone staff are working hard to plan learning experiences for all types and levels of KLAS Users.

We hope you will help us make it excellent by joining us in-person or online, submitting an in-person or virtual session proposal, or sharing a session topic suggestion! 

More conference info:

• KLAS UC2023: Preliminary Conference Info
• KLAS UC2023: Call for Session Proposals
• 2023 Conference Session Ideas Forum Post - reply with your suggestions or requests for session topics!

We hope to see you soon at one of these training & networking opportunities! 

Greetings, KLAS Users!

The 2023 KLAS Users' Conference will be a hybrid event held July 17-20 at the Tennessee School for the Blind and on the Zoom Events Platform. On this page you will find all the details you need to plan your attendance including online platform links, agenda, hotel, and in-person session locations, and more!

Zoom Events Details:

1. KLAS UC2023 on Zoom Events
2. Each conference attendee must have their own Zoom account AND log into the conference lobby with your Zoom account credentials. 
3. For info on navigating the online conference lobby, check out our Video Tour of 2023 KLAS Users' Conference on Zoom Events.
4. As conference presentations are being finalized, we're linking PDFs of each into Zoom Events.
5. All sessions prior to 12:30 PM Central Time are in-person only,

Resources for Online & In-Person Attendees:

Conference Agenda:

Below is the latest version of the 2023 KLAS Users' Conference Agenda which includes planned presenter names as well as session titles and descriptions.

• KLASUC2023-Agenda-Final.docx
• KLASUC2023-Agenda-Final.pdf

Conference Presentations & Handouts:

• KLAS UC2023 Presentations & Handouts - Google folder of all submitted presentations & handouts

Thursday General Sessions

Any and all KLAS Users are invited to 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):

• 11:30 AM - KLAS Users' Group Business Meeting
• 12:00 PM - Answering Your Parking Lot Questions
• 12:40 PM - Reconsidering Circulation 
• 1:25 PM - Conference Closing Remarks

KLAS Users' Group Meeting Resources:

• KLAS_Users_Conference_Business_Meeting_Agenda_07202023_FINAL.docx
• KLAS_Users_Conference_Business_Meeting_Agenda_07202023_FINAL.pdf
• 2022_Business_Meeting_Minutes.docx
• 2022_Business_Meeting_Minutes.pdf
• Klas_User_Group_Bylaws_Approved_06-03-2022_trackchangesversion_memberreview.docx
• Klas_User_Group_Bylaws_Approved_06-03-2022_trackchangesversion_memberreview.pdf

Thursday General Sessions Recording:

In-Person Conference Resources:

Conference Hotel:

Nashville Element Airport
Address: 2825 Elm Hill Pike, Nashville, TN 37214
Phone: (615) 894-9791

There is a free shuttle from the airport to the hotel. Upon arrival at the airport, please call the hotel to arrange to be picked up. Also, Monday's 3:30-5:30 PM General Session will be in the hotel's meeting room.

Monday Evening's Reception Location:

Monell's at the Manor
Address: 1400 Murfreesboro Pike, Nashville, TN 37217
Phone: (615) 365-1414

Tuesday-Wednesday Sessions Location:

Tennessee School for the Blind
Address: 115 Stewarts Ferry Pike, Nashville, TN 37214
Phone: (615) 231-7300

Upon arrival each morning, you will need to sign-in with security at the front desk of the school.

Thursday Afternoon Country Music Hall of Fame Excursion:

For those who plan to go to the Country Music Hall of Fame, we've pre-purchased tickets for a 3:00 PM admission time on Thursday. Please bring a check or cash in the amount of $27.95 to the conference to cover the cost of your individual ticket.

KLAS UC2023 Google Map

The below map lists places of import, businesses nearby the conference hotel that might be useful to attendees, restaurant near the hotel, and restaurants recommended by staff of the Tennessee Resource Center for the Visually Impaired.

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!

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.

From Sam Lundberg, President, KLAS Development Advisory Committee:

It’s been a few months now since the KLAS User Experience Survey circulated, and the KLAS Development Advisory Committee (KDAC) has spent the time pouring over all the answers we received.  Some of you had small, actionable requests that will hopefully be coming down the pipeline soon. Others had big ideas that, rather than being added now, will help inform the next major iteration of KLAS. Finally, are my personal favorite suggestions: small quality-of-life fixes that make each day that 1% easier.  

I can’t say exactly what will be coming next or which features will make it to live. We certainly had some common threads around the Service Queue, updating catalog records, the WebOPAC, and tools to handle Has-Had titles. The changes that DoD makes for patron service are starting to become clear and more feedback on how to mechanically address those changes will be vital. I believe there will also be some training coming to discuss requested features that are actually already part of KLAS, if not always obvious.

The survey was anonymous, so I can’t get into the details of the responses. But I can share some interesting demographics data we gathered. Nearly ⅓ of responses came from users with more than 10 years experience with KLAS. Only 14% of responders use hotkeys constantly within KLAS, while 30% use them occasionally and 29% never use them at all.* The klasusers,com discussion forum is still under-appreciated with only 33% of responders saying they use it to interact with the KLAS community, but almost 70% attend the KLAS Conference, webinars, and/or the listserv. Reviewing anonymous survey responses proved tricky because we found many suggestions we wish had more detail or clarification, but that’s the tradeoff for honest feedback on what’s wrong now as well as what we want in the future.

Of course, the conversation doesn’t end with the survey. Keystone and KDAC are always looking at the forum, the listserv, the various live training sessions and presentations (organized or organic), and all other ways users talk to one another. Also, we invite you to speak with any KDAC officer directly about anything you’d like us to put forward. Development is an ongoing conversation about what would be good to add, but also about priorities and allocation of resources. Even if you know something you want is in the works or on the table, be sure to also let us know the importance of that change or feature to you or your library so it can get that extra oomph behind it.

Finally, because I haven’t said it yet in this letter, thank you all for your participation in the survey specifically and the broad mission of KLAS Development generally!

*Note from Katy: If you are among those who don't know what they Keyboard commands are or who need a list to help you become more familiar with them, check out the KLAS Keyboard Shortcut page for a reference. 

Are you looking forward to the next in-person KLAS conference? Or would you prefer to keep things online? Either way, I have some hopeful news: planning for the 2023 KLAS Users’ Conference is underway and picking up steam!

Barring still more “unprecedented events,” UC 2023 will be held July 17-20, 2023 at the Tennessee School for the Blind in Nashville, TN. For those who can’t attend in person, we are looking into options for hybrid sessions, and plan to offer as much of the conference to you as possible. To facilitate this, we will likely be changing up the conference schedule, allowing in-person-only, hands-on content to occur in the mornings, and hybrid sessions to occur in the afternoon (when they will be reasonably timed across more time zones). Our goal is to ensure those attending in person get as much value for their travel as possible and provide a valuable experience for those who can’t join us in Tennessee, while ensuring both groups will be able to justify the expense to their funding agency.

While we do not yet know what the registration fees will be, we will try to keep them as low as possible and still deliver a quality conference. Our top contender for the conference hotel has quoted us a nightly rate of $179 / night, which is below the 2022 government rate. We are researching transportation options to get everyone from the hotel to the school and back, and catered-in lunches will help keep daily meal costs reasonable. For online attendees, a minimal registration fee will help cover whatever equipment or software costs we incur to bring the afternoon sessions to you.

Helping us to close in on the specifics, we just completed a site visit, checking out what has changed at TSB since 2019, investigating possible reception venues and caterers, and making sure the hotel is up to par.

We have excellent Programming and Logistics Committees assembled who are digging into all the challenges of our first hybrid conference, as well as all the usual conference minutiae, but of course we need your help as well. How many people should we expect in-person or online? What precautions need to be in place to ensure everyone’s health and safety?

Have a look at our proposed conference schedule, read on for a few teasers from our site visit, but also don’t miss completing our Pre-conference Planning Survey. With so much uncertainty, change, and opportunity for an amazing new conference format, we need your input this year more than ever!

Site visit photos: 

Allen Huang, Director of the Tennessee Instructional Resource Center, shows us the school's atrium, which is excellent for general sessions with its comfortable chairs, large projection screen, and monitors set up to mirror the front screen. 

The school librarian shows Keystone staff Katy and James their conversation area, which is a good fit for casual networking or just decompressing between conference sessions.

The hotel has plenty of hang-out space split between the interior lobby and the outdoor courtyard. The pool will be a welcome amenity come July, and there is an indoor gym, hot breakfast, all-day coffee, and a bar. There are a couple restaurants and convenience stores within walking distance, or biking distance on one of the hotel's bicycles. 

James and Katy trying out the food at a possible reception venue, Monell's at the Manor, which is a family-style restaurant in a historic mansion. If we move forward with this venue, we would have exclusive access--only Users' Conference attendees and restaurant staff would be present, and there is a ton of room to spread out and for air to circulate. They serve fantastic Southern food in a unique and fun environment.

I hope you enjoyed this sneak preview! As we get further along planning the conference we'll have more to share, but for now, please tell us about your plans and preferences by answering the Pre-conference Planning Survey!

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:

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

9/22/2022 Keystone Webinar: WebOPAC Revamp

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:

• Zoom Meeting Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88585822893?pwd=VUFabU1NYTBVcmpNRERxem9EQnd3QT09
• Find your local number to dial-in for audio: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdA5mXTjhQ 
• Meeting ID: 885 8582 2893
• Passcode: 137231
  
  

An updated version of the KLAS User Group bylaws was presented to the KLAS Users' Group at the business meeting held on Wednesday, May 4, 2022. The members of the Users' Group then proceeded to vote online to accept the bylaws with all suggested revisions effective July 1, 2022.

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.

• Zoom Meeting Link for all Tuesday sessions - https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88138984215?pwd=RGVIdkEzS1IyRzJXSytIVFVVODB3QT09
• Meeting ID: 881 3898 4215
• Passcode: 667394

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).

Dial-in Audio for ALL sessions:

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.

Hello, KLASusers! Although we are in an off-year between full KLAS Users’ Conferences, we still want provide opportunities for you to keep up-to-date on KLAS New Features, provide feedback and development requests, and network with each other. With that in mind, just like our last non-conference year, we are working with the Programming Committee to facilitate monthly webinars and will be hosting a “bite-sized” mini-conference this summer.

This began with last month’s Keystone-presented webinar on Cataloging for Duplication, and will continue following a pattern of one LBPD user-presented, one IRC user-presented, and one Keystone-presented webinar per quarter.

APH Roundtable Webinar

For this quarter’s IRC webinar, we have a Roundtable on the APH Census, with discussion on how you go about the census process and how KLAS can better support that work. That roundtable is scheduled for Tuesday, February 22^nd, at 3pm Eastern Time, and will be moderated by Jared Leslie, Director of Media and Development at the Foundation for Blind Children in AZ, along with Sally Shreck, Specialized Media Coordinator at the Maryland School for the Blind IRC, and Allen Huang, Director of Accessible Instructional Materials and Outreach Services, and Kathy Segers, Educational Consultant, at Tennessee Resource Center for the Visually Impaired. We hope you’ll be able to join in, learn from their approaches, and provide your own perspective!

Connection details will be posted about one week before the webinar.

Save the Date: KLAS Mini-Conference

Like 2020’s mini-conference, we plan to take an afternoon in early May to share Keystone Updates and KLAS New Features. This year, we are also adding a second afternoon, which will include a Users’ Group Meeting to review and vote on a bylaws change, and a few user-led Birds-of-a-Feather sessions.

We plan to stagger IRC, General, and LBPD content as much as possible to ensure you get as much out of this as possible with the least time investment. While the exact schedule is still to be determined, we currently have the week of May 9^th (the week before the NLS Conference) earmarked for our two-day, bite-sized, online mini-con.

Admin Training

While broader webinars and networking events are great, sometimes you need a more specific, hands-on, deep dive into KLAS and how to make it work best for your specific situation.

A fantastic way to do that is to join us for Administrator’s Training! 

This year’s dates for Admins at LBPD libraries are:

• June 6-9, 2022
• September 12-15, 2022

We want to host a session for IRC Admins as well, but we need you to help us set the dates! If you can commit to a session, please let us know so we can work with you to set up dates.

Our Online Administrator's Training article has more info about training structure, pricing, and a link to register. Because of the significant time investment needed from Keystone staff to host Admin Training, we will need at least two confirmed attendees for any session to proceed.

Last week we announced the creation of a new KLASusers IRC listserv. This week, we want to share / remind you of the various ways KLAS Users can connect with one another, and how to subscribe to each:

1. KLAS Users listserv
2. KLAS IRC Users listserv
3. KLASUsers.com discussion forum
4. Comments on KLASUsers.com articles

KLASusers listserv

The KLASusers listserv is open to any and all KLAS Users, whether you're a library director, an IRC inventory clerk, a member of your organization's technical support staff, or anyone else who uses KLAS. Keystone staff typically send out our Weekly Wrap-up to this listserv every Friday which includes info about new articles and forum posts on KLASusers.com, MARC record updates, info about the current KLAS release, upcoming webinars and other online training opportunities, etc.

User discussion is also welcome and encouraged! However, please remember: Replies will go to the entire listserv. To reply only to the sender, use the "reply to sender" link in the email footer.

The easiest way to get signed up for the listserv is via the KLASUsers listserv subscription page, or you can send a list of names and email addresses for your organization to .

KLAS IRC Users listserv

Last week we shared info about our shiny, new KLAS IRC Users' listserv. We hope any and all instructional resource / materials center staff who use KLAS will subscribe to this more focused e-list. We will share the KLAS Users' Weekly Wrap-up to it which will contain both IRC and non-IRC related information to it (including the latest release, so you can stay up-to-date), but otherwise it be strictly IRC-relevant communications. If you haven't already, be sure to sign-up ASAP via the KLAS IRC Users' listserv subscription page.

User discussion is also welcome here, so long as it is IRC related.

KLASUsers.com Discussion Forum

Our discussion forums have been an integral part of KLASusers.com since it's launch. The benefits of the forums over listservs for sharing information include threading, the ability to subscribe only to desired areas, and a more easily browse- or searchable archive, compared to searching your inbox for an email you remember possible getting at some point. We encourage you to post questions, ideas, resources, and suggestions to the forums. Available categories for posts are based on the different KLAS modules, various parts of the KLAS User community (Ex: RA, IRC, AT, KLAS Novices, etc.), and even Keystone services.

Anyone can read the forums, but you must be signed into klasusers.com to create a post or reply. To request a klasusers.com account for yourself or a new staff member, please send an email to  and include the following:

• Full Name
• Desired Log-in Name
• Email Address
• Name of Library / Organization

KLASUsers.com Article Comments

Did you know that if you reply to an article on klasusers.com, it will automatically become a forum post that Keystone staff and other users can view and respond to? Yes, you do have to be logged into klasusers.com to post a comment or question, but it's a great way to get clarification on a post, share your insight or feedback, or start a conversation relating it.

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.

• 2021_Business_Meeting_Minutes.docx
• 2021_Business_Meeting_Minutes.pdf

Thank you for attending the 2021 Online KLAS Users' Conference. Whether you were a speaker and / or attended sessions, this event was a success because of your presence. Now the KLAS Users' Group Officers' and Planning Committees ask you to please take some time to share your thoughts and feedback about the event including the content, the platform, etc. Your responses will help shape future conferences and other ongoing KLAS Users' content.

Response Deadline = Friday, July 9

As directed and defined by the most recent update of the 2019 KLAS Users' Group Bylaws Update, an election to select a new Vice President and Secretary needs to occur. Therefore, current KLAS Users' Group Officers met to discuss and determine a timeline for such. Below are the relevant dates as approved:

• May 20 = KLAS Users' Group Vice President / Secretary Nomination Period Opens
• June 1 = KLAS Users' Group Nomination Period Closes
• June 4 = Nominee Bios & Headshots due
• June 7 = Nominee Bios Published
• June 10 = If only one candidate is nominated for an office the election will proceed at the Users' Group Business Meeting. If more than one nominee for an office, an online election will occur within 30 days after the conference.
• July 28 = KLAS Users' Group Officers' Transition Meeting
• August 1 = Official Installation of new KLAS Users' Group Secretary and Vice President

The duties and terms of office of the Secretary and Vice President as defined in "Article VI. Officers" of the KLAS Users Group Bylaws include:

Duties:

Secretary: The Secretary shall take minutes for the Users’ Group business and administrator’s meetings as well as those for other committees unless otherwise provided. The Secretary shall also serve on at least one committee outlined in Article VII.

Vice-President: The Vice-President shall serve in a mentoring and leadership capacity to learn about the responsibilities of the Users’ Group, and shall assist the President with designated duties. May be required to perform President’s duties if the President is unavailable. The Vice-President shall also serve on at least one committee outlined in Article VII. The Vice-President assumes the office of President at the end of the term of the standing President in office.

Terms of Office:

The Vice President is an elected position that serves a term of one year and then becomes the President

The Secretary is an elected position that serves a term of two years and can stand for re-election at the end of their first two-year term.

All names for nominees or questions about the process should be sent to Jen Buzolich (), President, KLAS Users' Group, and Michael Lang (), Vice President, KLAS Users Group.

Below you will find the latest udpated about the 2021 ONLINE KLAS Users' Conference. Please let us know if you have any questions or need additional information.

2021 KLAS Users' Conference Website & Attendee Portal:

• 2021 KLAS Users' Conference Website
• 2021 KLAS Users' Conference Virtual Attendee Portal

Theme: Challenges, Changes & Creativity

Overview Schedule:

• KLAS UC 2021 Overview Schedule with Sessions - PDF
• Overview schedule in spreadsheet format on Keystone's Google Drive.

Format:

To give our attendees the best experience possible, we will be using the PheedLoop online event platform. The Planning Committees and Users' Group Officers had an opportunity to see the event participant side of the platform and were impressed with the features for networking, session scheduling and access, and extensive accessibility options.  

Using this platform, conference attendees will be able to attend sessions live or review the recordings later on, message each other privately or in subject groups, and even share files with their fellow users. While it can't fully replicate the feeling of all sitting around the same table, we hope that this format will allow us to bring as much of the full conference experience as possible.

Registration:

Go here to begin your 2021 KLAS Users' Conference attendee registration. 

The deadline to register is 8:00 PM Eastern / 5:00 PM Pacific Friday, June 4. If you have any questions about the group registration process, check out this step-by-step for a detailed explanation with screenshots.

Conference Registration is now open! To make this year's process easier than ever, we chose to use the PheedLoop platform to handle registration and even credit card payments. Yes, you can pay via a credit card this year! If you prefer or need to still pay by check, you can also download an invoice directly from the registration page.

• $25 for individual attendee tickets
• $50 for small group tickets (2-5 persons)
• $100 for large group tickets (6-10 persons)

Group Ticket Purchases: Example: To purchase one Large Group Ticket for 10 people, select 1 "Large Group Ticket" with your name listed as the "Attendee". Then proceed through the payment and checkout options and then add the other 9 persons as "complimentary ticket" holders when prompted to do so. Each listed attendee will be emailed their ticket info separately. An organization can purchase whatever combination of individual, small, and large group tickets makes sense for the number of staff they want to attend. For example, a library can purchase one small group and one large group ticket for a total of $150 to cover up to 15 attendees.

Registration fees go towards the conference platform and video streaming services. This is not intended to be a profit-generating event! That said, the math on this kind of thing is difficult. The per-attendee cost of the event will vary significantly based on how many attendees we have, and while we have a lot of experience budgeting for and operating an in-person conference, an online conference is new to us. If we find that we undershot on the registration fees, Keystone will cover the additional costs. If we end up generating a little extra, it will be used towards the next conference.

We have an important update about KLAS UC 2021: finalized registration costs are now available! Our first online KLAS Users' Conference will occur June 7-10, 2021. Check out the "2021 KLAS Users' Conference Take 2 blog post for the proposed conference schedule.

Conference registration costs are:

• $25 for Individual attendees
• $50 for small groups (2-5 persons)
• $100 for large groups (6-10)

An organization can purchase whatever combination of individual, small, and large group registrations makes sense for the number of staff they want to attend. For example, a library could purchase one small group and one large group registration for a total of $150 to cover up to 15 attendees.

Conference registration fees will go towards the conference platform and video streaming services. This is not intended to be a profit-generating event! That said, the math on this kind of thing is difficult. The per-attendee cost of the event will vary significantly based on how many attendees we have, and while we have a lot of experience budgeting for and operating an in-person conference, an online conference is new to us. If we find that we undershot on the registration fees, Keystone will cover the additional costs. If we end up generating a little extra, it will be used towards the next conference.

We have been working hard to plan an online conference just as worthwhile as an in-person one, with convenience and a lower cost to make up for a lack of local cuisine and charming wildlife (I’m not the only who misses those lizards that were all over Palm Beach...right?). These registration costs will cover the technology needed to make attending sessions, presenting, and networking with your fellow attendees easy. And the group rates will hopefully allow libraries to take full advantage of the absence of travel costs and allow more staff members than ever to attend. 

Call for Session Proposals

If the low registration costs and/or group rates do open the door for you... please consider not just attending, but presenting as well!

Now that the registration costs are finalized, we have reopened the Call for Session Proposals until Friday, March 26.

Anyone is welcome to present, so don’t feel like first-time attendees or KLAS rookies need to sit it out. Everyone has something they can share with their fellow users!

Presenting online has its own challenges, but it has its benefits as well. You can use own equipment that you are already comfortable with. You don't have to project across a loud room or struggle with jet lag, and you can even have your dog, cat, or spouse handy for moral support.

We will provide all presenters with an optional template for PowerPoint, information and training on the conference platform, and practice sessions if you want to test your connection. You also have the option of pre-recording your session if you prefer! If you’d rather not be on-the-spot, you can record your presentation in any video editing software, and send us the recording to “broadcast” during the scheduled time. Attendees will be able to view the pre-recorded session together, with you answering questions or joining the discussion in the text chat.

You are welcome to ask a friend to present with you, gather a few coworkers for a group discussion, or request Keystone provide a “KLAS Expert” to back you up. You could also facilitate a discussion during a Birds of a Feather session on anything from Reader Advisory Services to the APH Census. It’s okay if you don’t know all the details of your presentation yet: proposals can be as vague or specific as you’d like. Our excellent Programming Committee can always work with you to fine-tune things as needed.

This year’s Programming Committee chair Erin Pawlus says: “Presenting has been a positive experience for me – I enjoy sharing tips and tricks on my favorite KLAS functions like the Reader Services Queue, and I often learn a thing or two from the other attendees. It’s very collaborative. Since we are going virtual this year, those who typically are unable to attend the in-person conferences will also be able to share their stories and successes, and make valuable connections with others in the KLAS community at the same time!”

If you have any questions or concerns about presenting, please feel free to contact Erin Pawlus () or me ().

No need to be shy! If there’s something you’d like to share with your fellow users, please fill out the Session Proposal form.

First, we want to thank everyone who responded to our 2021 KLAS Users' Conference Planning Survey. We heard you, and we're moving forward based on your input.

The Program and Logistics Committees, the KLAS Users' Group Officers', and Keystone staff have been working diligently to figure out how to shift the conference to an online event. We're really embracing our conference theme of "Challenges, Changes & Creativity"! In the past few weeks, we've shifted our planning timeline and had discussions about dates, schedule, event management software and services, registration costs, session proposals, and more.

Today, we're excited to share that the 2021 KLAS Users' Conference will be June 7-10, 2021 with the below proposed schedule for each day:

To give all our attendees the best experience possible, we're planning to use an online event platform. We've evaluated a number of different ones and currently plan to use PheedLoop. Last week, the Planning Committees and Users' Group Officers had an opportunity to see the event participant side of the platform and were impressed with their available features for networking, session scheduling and access, and extensive accessibility options.

Using this platform, conference attendees will be able to attend sessions live or review the recordings later on, message each other privately or in subject groups, and even share files with their fellow users. While it can't fully replicate the feeling of all sitting around the same table, we hope that this format will allow us to bring as much of the full conference experience as possible.

Individual and group registration rates are still being finalized and will be announced soon.

We're hoping more KLAS Users will be able to participate in this year's conference than ever before, since there is no travel required! See you there!

Your KLAS Development Advisory Committee (KDAC) member-representatives want to hear if you have input for our next meeting to be held January 19, 2021. Therefore please complete this survey to share your input with us, and please know we sincerely appreciate your thoughts and feedback.