The purpose of this section is to give you a basic overview of the Patron Module in KLAS. It includes basic information for navigation and understanding of the parts of the module. Within this module are pages with more specific tasks related to using the Patron Module. Included throughout are Guided Practice exercises that can be used to help better understand these essential tasks used by staff. To go beyond the basics move through each of the tabs to find a topic. Also check the Shortcuts and Tools tab that contains how to use queries and Excel to expand the capabilities of using KLAS.
This section is designed based on a Guided Practice module, that has been included as a separate document for printout. This only covers the very basics in an organized way to allow you to get up to speed with the Patron Module. As you gain experience by using the module in everyday work situations you will discover that there are ways beyond what's shown here. As you get more proficient use of the keyboard shortcuts contained in the Shortcuts and Tools tab may be useful.
Let's begin
Log into KLAS with your assigned username and password. For help with this see the note about username and password on the Shortcuts and Tool tab.
From the KLAS desktop -
select the Patron button - This is the fourth button from the left. This will open up the Patron Module at the Patron Main tab.
Explore the Patron module
Use the find button - or the Navigation menu - "Find", to find a specific Patron. You can search by Patron ID, Last Name, First Name, City or Phone Name. Find is the same regardless of the tab you are on.
You can navigate from record to record using the arrow buttons - or the Navigation menu. This is very useful when you have a set of records from a query or when you want to explore adjacent records. The tab you are on in one record (Main, Contact, Profile, Requests, etc.) stays the same as you move through records.
The Book Search button - or the Functions menu - "Book Search", allows you to search for books using a patron's preferences. You can set up predefined versions of this search, for example to search by series, media type or the most recent additions to the collection. This is covered in the section on Book Search.
Adding Comments helps staff know patron history and other useful information. It is a log of activity of things done to the patron account, issues with the patron account or correspondence with the patron. The comments box is at the top of every screen in the Patron Module. To add a comment use the Comments button - or the Functions menu - "Comments...".
The RSQueue (short for Readers Service Queue) is a listing of patrons that should be looked at because they didn't get served, were underserved, are a new patron or because of some special circumstance. The RSQueue is divided up among staff who are assigned an RSQueue. To look at your assigned RSQueue use the Search My RSQueue button - or the Queries menu - "Search my RSQueue". This is covered in the section on the RSQueue.
Use the Quick Request button - or the Functions menu - "Request/Reserves - Quick Request", to make entering a list of requests or reserves as simple as just entering the book number.
Patron module tabs
The Patron module is composed of tabs that display different kinds of information about each patron. Starting from left to right:
This is Guided Practice for doing things related to Book Searching.
A simple Overview of the Guided Practice
This is Guided Practice for doing things related to placing and maintaining patron Reserves and Requests
A simple Overview of the Guided Practice
This is Guided Practice for doing things related to finding patron borrowed items and maintaining patron hashads.
A simple Overview of the Guided Practice
This is Guided Practice for doing things related to placing and maintaining patron Preferences. Preferences are used by KLAS mainly for Nightly Auto Selection, keeping books in Series in order, and tracking membership in book clubs.
Preference types
A simple Overview of the Guided Practice
This is Guided Practice for doing things related to updating and maintaining the Patron Profile. Profile information is used by KLAS to determine the type of media, type of service and number of items to send out for each order, by media format.
Serve Codes
A simple Overview of the Guided Practice
Exporting to Excel from Patron
Export allows you to export data to an Excel spreadsheet from any browse table in a screen where available. This is most useful when you want to use data found in patron searches or queries, for example to create patron labels for mailings or to manipulate and use data from address searches. It's useful to share findings with others, since from Excel you can print off or email results without having to open KLAS to examine them, as in the case of sending a patron a list of books they have checked out on their account.
To Export use the Export button - , Go to the Function menu from a results screen and select Export or the Keyboard shortcut Alt+Ctrl+X.
A good overview of things is provided in the Shortcuts and Tools section on Using Excel. It is useful to read over to see how in general across KLAS you can use Excel to export and organize data for your needs.
Some common Patron uses of Export