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.

The recording of our October 12, 2021 KLAS IRC / IMC Users' Group Meeting held as part of the APH 2021 Annual Meeting is now available.

During this meeting, we shared IRC-specific features and functionality added to KLAS since our August 24, 2021 KLAS New Features webinar, upcoming development, Q&A, and discussion including a status update on the ongoing project to integrate KLAS with APH. At this time, we expect our customers to be able to submit APH orders from KLAS in the fourth quarter of 2021, and we plan to be able to automatically pul APH catalog info into KLAS by the first quarter of 2022. 

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.

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
  
  

Prior to the 2019 KLAS Users' Conference, Katy and I received a request to present about the different ways we send out communications and what platforms are available to users to share info with one another. On Thursday morning at the conference, we shared our "Connecting with KLASusers" presentation on this topic... and we decided to use the presentation as an opportunity to learn just what folks in the audience knew about our communications platforms and efforts.

The agenda of the presentation started with klasusers.com, including the Key Notes blog, various resources on the site, as well as some tips and tricks on navigating the discussion forums. We then took some time to discuss the KLASusers e-list and share info about Keystone's social media presence.

Also, during the course of the presentation, we had anyone who wished to participate answer questions in a live poll. It was very interesting to see how many folks were and were not aware of who usually writes our Key Notes blog post and what kind of content they wanted to see more of. (And of course, we couldn't help but have a little fun with it.)

This week we wanted to share the presentation for those who were not at the conference so they have the opportunity to learn about all the different ways we try to share tips, ask questions, and share the latest news about KLAS. Also, we want you to know what communications channels are available to you as a user and how to make sure you're not missing out on important info. You can access the PowerPoint via the below link.

• Connecting with KLASUsers.com - PowerPoint

Another great resource to learn about how to stay up to date with the latest blog posts, forum discussions, etc. is the "Tips for dealing with klasusers.com FOMO" Key Notes blog from March of 2018 which including how to subscribe to specific discussion forum threads or categories, "favorite" forum topics, and the best way to find the latest Key Notes blog post and forum posts.

Please be sure to let us know if you have questions about these resources and / or how to use them.

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

Today's KeyNotes blog post is all about upcoming IRC / IMC KLAS user-relevant events, including:

• IRC KLAS Administrator Online Training
• KLAS IRC / IMC Users' Group Session at the virtual APH 2020 Annual Meeting
• 10/22/2020 KLAS IRC Users' Roundtable

2021 KLAS Users' Conference

Read on for more details about each of these...

IRC KLAS Administrator Online Training 

In September, we conducted our first online KLAS Administrator's Training session. Next week's blog post will share details and feedback about how it went. Before that, however, I want to share the news that we are planning to offer it again and want our next session to be IRC focused. The thing is... we need your help to figure out when to schedule it so it works best for those attending.

The training is held over the course of a week, Monday through Thursday, with two sessions each afternoon (to allow participants to join from any time zone), and includes pre-class worksheets that we recommend filling out to prepare for each session and a printed Administrator's Reference manual which will be mailed to you. This training is limited to attendees who have a KLAS Administrator role, including the authority to change records and policies for their KLAS system. If you fit this description and wish to participate, please complete this short survey to help us determine the best time to offer it.

Administrator training costs $600 per attendee, but the online format means that there is no longer any need for additional travel costs.

KLAS IRC / IMC Users' Group at APH 2020 Annual Meeting

We hope all IRC / IMC staff who registered for the virtual APH 2020 Annual Meeting plan to join us for the KLAS IRC / IMC Users' Meeting at 10 AM ET / 7 AM PT on Thursday, October 8. This year's session is limited to one hour because of the compressed conference schedule, so our plan is to:

• present some highlights of what we've added to KLAS for IRCs, and what's coming next
• share some news about upcoming IRC focused training
• have a bit of time for Q&A

10/22/2020 KLAS IRC Users' Roundtable

Additionally, knowing the limited time we will have during the APH Conference, the KLAS Program Committee decided our next KLAS IRC Users' Roundtable will be held Thursday, October 22 at 3 PM ET / Noon PT. We're excited to announce that Jared Leslie, AZ IRC, will be moderating the session. We hope it will be an opportunity to continue the discussion on any topics we don't have time to fully address during the APH meeting, provide more time for users to share feedback and tips and tricks, and an additional opportunity to demo new features and functionality.

• Log-in information will be posted to the KLASUsers e-list and in the "Upcoming Webinars & Roundtables" article approximately one week prior to the roundtable.

2021 KLAS Users' Conference

Finally, we want to remind you that we're are in the process of planning an in-person 2021 KLAS Users' Conference (with the knowledge that we need to be willing to adapt and change depending on the state of COVID-19). At this time, the plan is for it to be held at Tennessee School for the Blind in Nashville from June 29-July 1, 2021. This will be our first biennial conference AND the first hosted by an Instructional Resource Center. Accommodations information will be available in the near future.

We sincerely thank Dr. Kathy Segers, Director of Accessible Instructional Materials and Outreach Services, Tennessee School for the Blind for being willing to host for 2021 KLAS Users' Conference. We look forward to working with you to plan an informative, inspirational, and rewarding experience for all our attendees. The Program and Logistics Committees are already actively meeting with the goal of bringing you a well-planned conference offering opportunities for sharing great ideas and learning new ways to use KLAS to help improve the services your organization provides.

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.

This is the final draft of the proposed bylaws changes for the KLAS Users' Group. Changes were made to allow for a smoother officer transition for the positions of President and Vice President, incorporate language relevant to elections and content planning in non-conference years and / or in addition to the conference, and to make the group more inclusive of all organizations that use KLAS. Go here to review the current KLAS Users' Group bylaws as approved on May 5, 2016.

A link will be sent to a designated representative of each KLAS library / organization to vote on these changes. Voting must be conducted within 30 days and a 2/3 majority is required to approve the changes.

Please be sure to login to download content. Thanks

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. 

You have heard Keystone staff say it before, and you'll likely hear us say it again.

"It is the KLAS Users' Conference."

Today, I want to take the opportunity to recognize those users who have already contributed greatly to the logistical and programming for the 2018 KLAS Users' Conference. This conference is based on feedback and suggestions we receive from your survey responses, ideas brought up during conference calls, what you request and what you are willing to present and coordinate.

Thank you to those who have attended, will be attending, have sent us your thoughts and ideas, and who have stepped up to moderate a Birds-of-a-Feather discussion, present a general session, or help put together attendee welcome packets.

But, most especially, thank you to the Logistics and Program Committees and the KLAS Users' Group Officers. You participate in conference calls, send emails, give me honest feedback, and help shape the conference for each attendee, presenter, and member of the Keystone staff. This is my note of appreciation for all of your time and effort. You are wonderful to work with, and I could not do my job without each of you. Thank you.

KLAS Users' Group Officers:

• Craig Hayward, KLAS Users' Group President, North Carolina Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
• Chandra Thornton, KLAS Users' Group Vice President, Palm Beach County Library System Talking Books Library
• Erin Pawlus, KLAS Users' Group Secretary, Arizona Braille and Talking Book Library

2018 KLAS Users' Conference Logistics Committee:

• Craig Hayward, KLAS Users' Group President & Logistics Committee Chair, North Carolina Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
• Nancy Reese, KLAS UC 2018 Host, Idaho Commission for Libraries Talking Book Library
• Pat Herndon, KLAS UC 2017 Host, Georgia Library for Accessible Statewide Services
• Edith Gavino, KLAS UC 2016 Host, Braille Institute Library Services
• Andrew Shockley, KLAS UC 2015 Host, Oklahoma Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
• Debbie Martin, Brevard County Talking Books Library
• John Mugford, New Mexico Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
• Sarah Smedley, Palm Beach County Talking Books Library

2018 KLAS Users' Conference Program Committee:

• Chandra Thornton, Program Committee Chair, Palm Beach County Library System Talking Books Library
• Sue Walker, KLAS UC 2018 Host, Idaho Commission for Libraries Talking Book Service
• Erin Pawlus, Arizona Braille and Talking Book Library
• Teneka Williams, KLAS UC 2017 Host, Georgia Library for Accessible Statewide Services
• James Gleason, KLAS UC 2014 Host, Perkins Library
• Cyndi Hammonds, California Department of Education
• Amy Ravenholt, Washington Talking Book and Braille Library Katy Patrick, Keystone Systems

If you have the opportunity, please take a minute to express your gratitude to these people for their contributions.

In addition to the move to an online meeting, the APH staff have also made some changes to the usual schedule. Things are starting a bit later each day to accommodate persons in western time zones and the schedule is a bit more compressed, but many of the typical sessions are still being offered, such as the tours of APH. We're already making plans for the KLAS Users' Group Meeting which will be on Thursday morning of the meeting as usual, but our start time will be a bit later than normal at 10 AM Eastern / 7 AM Pacific.

Unfortunately, being virtual means we won't be able to provide breakfast for our attendees, but we do encourage you to grab a cup of coffee or tea at home and join us for the KLAS IRC / IMC Users' Group meeting. We will share recent updates to KLAS and Keystone services, plans for upcoming development, and provide opportunities for feedback and Q&A. If you have any topics or questions you'd like us to be sure we address, please post them to the klasusers.com IRC / IMC discussion forum and / or email Drea () or Katy () with your suggestions.

So remember, if you want to attend the KLAS Users' Group session at the Virtual APH 2020 Annual Meeting, register for the conference and be sure to select the KLAS concurrent meeting on Thursday, October 8 at 10 AM Eastern.

We look forward to "seeing" you there!

We can always think of plenty of things to work on and improve, come up with new features, and generally decide how we think KLAS should look and work. However, what we think is important to implement might not be what you, the users, really want to see.

~ Katy Patrick, September 4, 2018, Re-Convening KDAC Key Notes Blog Post

The KLAS Development Advisory Committee (KDAC) serves an advisory role to Keystone on new features being developed for future releases of KLAS.

Goals:

• Solicit and review KLAS Development Suggestions
• Report on activities at the biennial KLAS Users’ Conference
• Communicate with constituents.

Guidelines:

The committee approved an updated set of guidelines on Wednesday, January 22, 2020.

• KDAC Guidelines Approved 01-22-20 - MS Word
• KDAC Guidelines Approved 01-22-20 - PDF

Membership:

Committee members representing the following categories of KLAS Users plus a Users' Group Officers' Liaison:

• Large regional libraries
• Mid-size regional libraries
• Small regional libraries
• Subregional libraries
• Special Organizations / Schools
• Instructional Resource Center (IRC) / Instructional Materials Center (IMC) Users
• Up to 3 at large members with priority given to IRC representatives

Breakdown of all KLAS Libraries and Organizations in the above-defined categories:

• KDAC Library Breakdown 2018 - PDF

Current KDAC Members

• Tony Bucci - Arizona Talking Book Library, KLAS Users' Group Officer Liaison
• Sam Lundberg - New Mexico Talking Book Library (small Talking Book Library), KDAC Chair
• Shawn Lemieux - New York State Talking Book & Braille Library (large Talking Book Library), KDAC Secretary
• Dianne Keadle - South Carolina Talking Book Services (mid-sized Talking Book Library)
• Ricardo Cisneros - San Francisco Public Library - Talking Books and Braille Center (subregional Talking Book Library)
• Donald Salvato - Xavier Society for the Blind (schools and special organizations)
• Christina Quitana - Arizona Instructional Resource Center (Instructional Resource Centers)
• Crystal Grimes - Oregon Talking Book & Braille Library (member at large)
• Dan Malosh - Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library (member at large)
• Pepper Watson - Oklahoma Accessible Instructional Materials Center (member at large)

The PowerPoint presentations and recordings of the 2022 Online KLAS Users' Mini-Conference sessions held on Tuesday, May 3 and Wednesday, May 4 are now available. 

Tuesday, May 3

KLAS New Features for Libraries for the Blind & Print Disabled

• PowerPoint - NewFeatures-22-5-lbpd.pptx 

Keystone Updates

• PowerPoint - MiniUC2022_Keystone_Updates.pptx

KLAS New Features for Instructional Resource / Materials Centers

• PowerPoint - NewFeatures-22-5-lbpd.pptx

Wednesday, May 4

KLAS Users' Group Business Meeting

• PowerPoint - 2022_KLAS_Users_Group_Business_Meeting.pptx
• PDF - 2022_KLAS Users' Group 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

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.

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.

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.