diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ec3dde38..20a39410 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -55,12 +55,12 @@ properties = {
     "store_path": "/path/to/your/store",
     "store_depth": 3,
     "store_width": 2,
-    "store_algorithm": "sha256",
-    "store_metadata_namespace": "http://ns.dataone.org/service/types/v2.0",
+    "store_algorithm": "SHA-256",
+    "store_metadata_namespace": "https://ns.dataone.org/service/types/v2.0#SystemMetadata",
 }
 
 # Get HashStore from factory
-module_name = "hashstore.filehashstore.filehashstore"
+module_name = "hashstore.filehashstore"
 class_name = "FileHashStore"
 my_store = hashstore_factory.get_hashstore(module_name, class_name, properties)
 
diff --git a/src/hashstore/filehashstore.py b/src/hashstore/filehashstore.py
index 3e201e77..e96ef690 100644
--- a/src/hashstore/filehashstore.py
+++ b/src/hashstore/filehashstore.py
@@ -73,31 +73,37 @@ class FileHashStore(HashStore):
         "blake2b",
         "blake2s",
     ]
-    # Variables to orchestrate parallelization
-    # Thread Synchronization
-    object_lock = threading.Lock()
-    object_condition = threading.Condition(object_lock)
-    object_locked_pids = []
-    metadata_lock = threading.Lock()
-    metadata_condition = threading.Condition(metadata_lock)
-    metadata_locked_docs = []
-    reference_lock = threading.Lock()
-    reference_condition = threading.Condition(reference_lock)
-    reference_locked_cids = []
-    # Multiprocessing Synchronization
-    object_lock_mp = multiprocessing.Lock()
-    object_condition_mp = multiprocessing.Condition(object_lock_mp)
-    object_locked_pids_mp = multiprocessing.Manager().list()
-    metadata_lock_mp = multiprocessing.Lock()
-    metadata_condition_mp = multiprocessing.Condition(metadata_lock_mp)
-    metadata_locked_docs_mp = multiprocessing.Manager().list()
-    reference_lock_mp = multiprocessing.Lock()
-    reference_condition_mp = multiprocessing.Condition(reference_lock_mp)
-    reference_locked_cids_mp = multiprocessing.Manager().list()
 
     def __init__(self, properties=None):
+        # Variables to orchestrate parallelization
         # Check to see whether a multiprocessing or threading sync lock should be used
         self.use_multiprocessing = os.getenv("USE_MULTIPROCESSING", "False") == "True"
+        if self.use_multiprocessing == "True":
+            # Create multiprocessing synchronization variables
+            self.object_lock_mp = multiprocessing.Lock()
+            self.object_condition_mp = multiprocessing.Condition(self.object_lock_mp)
+            self.object_locked_pids_mp = multiprocessing.Manager().list()
+            self.metadata_lock_mp = multiprocessing.Lock()
+            self.metadata_condition_mp = multiprocessing.Condition(
+                self.metadata_lock_mp
+            )
+            self.metadata_locked_docs_mp = multiprocessing.Manager().list()
+            self.reference_lock_mp = multiprocessing.Lock()
+            self.reference_condition_mp = multiprocessing.Condition(
+                self.reference_lock_mp
+            )
+            self.reference_locked_cids_mp = multiprocessing.Manager().list()
+        else:
+            # Create threading synchronization variables
+            self.object_lock = threading.Lock()
+            self.object_condition = threading.Condition(self.object_lock)
+            self.object_locked_pids = []
+            self.metadata_lock = threading.Lock()
+            self.metadata_condition = threading.Condition(self.metadata_lock)
+            self.metadata_locked_docs = []
+            self.reference_lock = threading.Lock()
+            self.reference_condition = threading.Condition(self.reference_lock)
+            self.reference_locked_cids = []
         # Now check properties
         if properties:
             # Validate properties against existing configuration if present
diff --git a/src/hashstore/hashstoreclient.py b/src/hashstore/hashstoreclient.py
index b02d764c..94292957 100644
--- a/src/hashstore/hashstoreclient.py
+++ b/src/hashstore/hashstoreclient.py
@@ -257,13 +257,13 @@ def __init__(self, properties, testflag=None):
 
         # Get HashStore from factory
         if testflag:
+            # Set multiprocessing to true if testing in knbvm
             module_name = "filehashstore"
+            os.environ["USE_MULTIPROCESSING"] = "True"
         else:
             module_name = "hashstore.filehashstore"
         class_name = "FileHashStore"
 
-        # Set multiprocessing to true
-        os.environ["USE_MULTIPROCESSING"] = "True"
         use_multiprocessing = os.getenv("USE_MULTIPROCESSING", "False") == "True"
         logging.info(
             "HashStoreClient - use_multiprocessing (bool): %s", use_multiprocessing