diff --git a/module/VuFind/src/VuFind/Theme/Root/Helper/OfflineMode.php b/module/VuFind/src/VuFind/Theme/Root/Helper/OfflineMode.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..d9dce6ade2502c0025d2b5c52c96b00c54373f01
--- /dev/null
+++ b/module/VuFind/src/VuFind/Theme/Root/Helper/OfflineMode.php
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * "Offline mode" view helper
+ *
+ * PHP version 5
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) Villanova University 2010.
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2,
+ * as published by the Free Software Foundation.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+ * Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA
+ *
+ * @category VuFind2
+ * @package  View_Helpers
+ * @author   Demian Katz <demian.katz@villanova.edu>
+ * @license  http://opensource.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.php GNU General Public License
+ * @link     http://vufind.org/wiki/building_a_recommendations_module Wiki
+ */
+namespace VuFind\Theme\Root\Helper;
+use VuFind\Search\Options, Zend\View\Helper\AbstractHelper;
+
+/**
+ * "Offline mode" view helper
+ *
+ * @category VuFind2
+ * @package  View_Helpers
+ * @author   Demian Katz <demian.katz@villanova.edu>
+ * @license  http://opensource.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.php GNU General Public License
+ * @link     http://vufind.org/wiki/building_a_recommendations_module Wiki
+ */
+class OfflineMode extends AbstractHelper
+{
+    /**
+     * Wrapper function to the VF_Search_Options getInstance function
+     *
+     * @param string $type The search type of the object to retrieve
+     *
+     * @return SearchOptions
+     */
+    public function __invoke()
+    {
+        /* TODO:
+        return VF_Connection_Manager::connectToCatalog()->getOfflineMode();
+         */
+        return '';
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/themes/vufind/blueprint/templates/search/home.phtml b/themes/vufind/blueprint/templates/search/home.phtml
index 1cdd484186e5aa6fc0c5fd51780383c07ed76bdf..8afe6dc6659789985480fb18f829db04fcf198a7 100644
--- a/themes/vufind/blueprint/templates/search/home.phtml
+++ b/themes/vufind/blueprint/templates/search/home.phtml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
     $advSearch = $options->getAdvancedSearchAction();
 ?>
 <div class="searchHomeContent">
-  <? if (VF_Connection_Manager::connectToCatalog()->getOfflineMode() == "ils-offline"): ?>
+  <? if ($this->offlineMode() == "ils-offline"): ?>
     <div class="sysInfo">
       <h2><?=$this->transEsc('ils_offline_title')?></h2>
       <p><strong><?=$this->transEsc('ils_offline_status')?></strong></p>
diff --git a/themes/vufind/jquerymobile/templates/search/home.phtml b/themes/vufind/jquerymobile/templates/search/home.phtml
index 8586a01848e5069f8f02f5bea8f9b5ae0523d2c5..46a26c505d032198fd9b923f38c113d50795f2c7 100644
--- a/themes/vufind/jquerymobile/templates/search/home.phtml
+++ b/themes/vufind/jquerymobile/templates/search/home.phtml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 <div data-role="page" id="Search-home">
   <?=$this->mobileMenu()->header(array('searchLink' => false, 'results' => null))?>
   <div data-role="content">
-    <? if (VF_Connection_Manager::connectToCatalog()->getOfflineMode() == "ils-offline"): ?>
+    <? if ($this->offlineMode() == "ils-offline"): ?>
       <div class="sysInfo">
         <h2><?=$this->transEsc('ils_offline_title')?></h2>
         <p><strong><?=$this->transEsc('ils_offline_status')?></strong></p>
diff --git a/themes/vufind/root/theme.ini b/themes/vufind/root/theme.ini
index 308b7e07c08bd79f48ab6d9ebfc5d92767b9edbb..ce161257c142e218935111b2fdc1757f8fb4585c 100644
--- a/themes/vufind/root/theme.ini
+++ b/themes/vufind/root/theme.ini
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ helpers_to_register[] = "HeadScript"
 helpers_to_register[] = "HeadThemeResources"
 helpers_to_register[] = "ImageLink"
 helpers_to_register[] = "MobileUrl"
+helpers_to_register[] = "OfflineMode"
 helpers_to_register[] = "SearchOptions"
 helpers_to_register[] = "TransEsc"
 helpers_to_register[] = "Translate"