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January 2001. Illinois libraries converted to a statewide KLAS network. Keystone Systems announced that KLAS, the Keystone Library Automation System, has been installed at the Illinois State Library Talking Book and Braille Service and its six sub-regional libraries throughout the State of Illinois. The cooperation among the regional and sub-regional libraries involves less duplication of effort, allowing the sub-regional libraries to concentrate on serving the patrons more effectively.

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January 2001. Keystone integrates library automation with warehouse materials management. Keystone Systems, Inc. is announced that it has successfully integrated its KLAS (Keystone Library Automation System) software with a state-of-the-art computer-controlled warehouse storage and retrieval system manufactured by Diamond Phoenix. The KLAS Carousel Storage interface allows quick, easy and accurate pulling of materials for library patrons. It also speeds the return to storage when items are checked back in. The first library to implement this interface was the New Mexico Talking Book Library in Santa Fe, NM.

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August 2000. Palm Beach County Public Library System Chooses KLAS for Talking Books. Keystone Systems announced that the Palm Beach County Library System has selected KLAS, the Keystone Library Automation System, for their Talking Books Library.

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August 2000. Karen L. Odean to receive Alexander J. Skrzypek award from ILA. Karen L. Odean, Director of the Talking Book Center of Northwest Illinois, was recently selected as the 2000 recipient of the Alexander J. Skrzypek Award.

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April, 2000. Broward County Talking Book Library converts to KLAS!. Keystone Systems announced that KLAS, the Keystone Library Automation System, has been installed in the Broward County Talking Book Library, located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

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September 1999. Florida Network of Talking Book Libraries featured in the NLS Quarterly. The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) Quarterly Newsletter has published a very informative and complimentary article about the Florida network of talking book libraries. This cover story reports how the various participating libraries use the system to improve patron services.

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September 1999. Oklahoma Library converts to KLAS in Record Time!. Keystone Systems announces that KLAS, the Keystone Library Automation System, has been installed at the Oklahoma Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.

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June 14, 1999. Lee County Talking Book Library Outsources KLAS Operations. Keystone Systems announced that KLAS, the Keystone Library Automation System, has been installed at the Lee County Talking Book Library (LCTBL) as the new library automation system.

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June 1, 1999. Indiana Educational Resource Center (IERC) implements KLAS from Keystone Systems. Keystone Systems, a leading producer of library automation systems, is proud to announce that KLAS, the Keystone Library Automation System, has been installed at the Indiana Educational Resource Center (IERC) at the Indiana School for the Blind in Indianapolis, Indiana. The IERC converted to KLAS version 5.7 from an extremely complex manual card catalogue system. Staff uses the existing desktop LAN workstations to connect to KLAS. The KLAS modules installed are Catalogue Management, Circulation Control, Holdings Management, Equipment Services, and Patron Services with the enhanced Patron Order Processing function.

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May 5, 1999. Virginia Division for the Visually Handicapped Library and Resource Center joins the KLAS Family. The Virginia Division for the Visually Handicapped Library and Resource Center (LRC) installed KLAS version 5.7. The LRC circulates books, materials and equipment to all eligible visually handicapped school children throughout the state. They also provide services to adult patrons in the statewide low-vision program.

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1983 Keystone Systems, Inc. founded

2019 Keystone Systems, Inc. Accomplishments Narrative

The new version of KLAS is a major update, with some big changes on the back-end, high-volume Duplication on Demand support, and a rapid “Agile” development cycle.

The Beta deployment of 7.7 to North Carolina Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped at the beginning of 2019 allowed us to track down and fix a ton of issues -- all while getting Gutenberg integration in place and developing new deployment processes. We were finally able to start bringing more libraries on board in May, and are now working on bringing our IRC/IMCs up on the new system as well.

All but three Keystone-Hosted libraries now have at least a 7.7 Preview database, we’re making steady progress on self-hosted libraries, and we’ve begun work on the Perkins National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program (PNDB)’s database as well as our first 7.7 IRCs!

It has been a long road, but we’re now well on our way to a full conversion to 7.7. Development for the new version has been rolling along beautifully all the way up to our current version, 7.7.23.

New KLAS Features

There have been too many New Features over the past year to name, but here are some highlights:

• The new installation and upgrade processes reduce or eliminate the need for admin access, IT assistance, and multiple downloads.
• KLAS can now handle the extended UTF8 character set, including more diacritics.
• HTTPS encryption replaces VPNs to keep your data secure while allowing a more streamlined installation.
veCommerce Integration is now available.
• The Merge Query Function has been added to the Patron and Catalog modules, allowing you to do more with queries than ever.
• The ability to Query on Patron Subscription information is now available in Patron.
• The Apply / Remove Headings to Query Set tool allows you to update Subjects or other Headings on a batch of Titles all at once.
• The Batch Update Patron Medium tool allows you to apply Profile changes to a batch of Patrons.
• You can now print eDocs from the Shipping Wizard.
• And that doesn’t include the numerous new features implemented to support Duplication on Demand!

Duplication on Demand

The new Duplication workflows, which leverage a dedicated appliance such as a Keystone’s Scribe or NLS’ Gutenberg equipment, shift as much of the work as possible from library staff and external programs back to KLAS itself. A complete conversion to Duplication on Demand, rather than just using DoD or PCC as a supplement to traditional circulation, is a huge paradigm shift.

We found it necessary strike a balance between updating and re-using old processes (like mail card batches and the nightly programs now used to refill Service Queues), completely new programming, and everything in-between.

We are very pleased that we now have five libraries actively using Scribe and two live on Gutenberg!

The duplication workflows continue to be refined as we receive feedback from our pioneering libraries including the new KLAS screens (such as the Service Queue and Duplication Order tabs), the duplication appliances, and all of the communications in-between that make it all work.

KLAS Users’ Conference 2019 and More!

In early June, the Palm Beach County Talking Books Service and the Friends of the Palm Beach County Library hosted the 2019 KLAS Users’ Conference in West Palm Beach, FL. It was a great opportunity to work with some of you in person during a hands-on pre-conference, a variety of Keystone- and user-led sessions, and even a duplication Petting Zoo where we demonstrated the workflows of both the Scribe and Gutenberg.

This year also offers otheropportunities to learn more about KLAS and network with other users. We introduced a variety of other opportunities this year -- from KLAS Q&A Webinars to an IRC Symposium.

KLASusers.com Content

Finally, we’ve made a significant effort in the last year to be more proactive in communicating what’s happening at Keystone and with KLAS with weekly blog posts, discussion forum tips and regular Keystone and user led webinars..

In sum, it has been an amazing (and busy, and sometimes difficult, and ultimately rewarding) year.

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