Listservs, Discussion Groups and Interlibrary Loan

1. Listservs, Discussion Groups and Interlibrary Loan Karen Williams Auburn University Montgomery

2. Definition of terms • mailing list (n.) “An alias email address that a mail exploder expands to yield other email addresses. Some mailing lists are simple reflectors that redirect mail to a list of recipients [subscribers]. Others are moderated by humans” -Dictionary of Computing & Digital Media

3. Definition of terms • listserv (n.) Originally, the name of proprietary software from L-Soft, it is now used generically to refer to any program that automates mailing lists, or the mailing lists themselves

4. Definition of Terms • discussion group (n.) a mailing list in which all members are allowed to post messages, thus, ideally, generating “discussion”.

5. Types of lists • Broadcast only • Discussion -moderated -non-moderated

6. Why join listservs and discussion groups? • Keeps you up-to-date on software changes • For example……

7. Why join listservs and discussion groups? A post from Arie-L: “Most of the ships are docked in the harbor waiting for Ariel 4.1 because the King has announced that the world of Ariel 4.0 is flat….I plead with you my trailblazing friend to turn around and come back to the safe(r) harbor of Ariel 3.4 where we eat and drink and patiently await the arrival of 4.1.” -Steve Espinoza

8. Why join listservs and discussion groups? • allows you to pick the brains of other ILL librarians and staff -software problems -hard-to-find items

9. Why join listservs and discussion groups? “Thanks to all who offered suggestions on the listserv and directly. In our situation, the solution came as a result of one of the suggestions. This is just another example of the benefits of having this listserv and being able to help one another when serious problem issues arise” -a recent Arie-L post

10. Why join listservs and discussion groups? Connects you to the larger ILL community

11. How to Subscribe • Send an email to the subscription address • In the body of your email message, type “SUBCRIBE Name of list First Name Last name” • ex. SUBSCRIBE ARIE-L Jane Smith • DIGEST Feature

12. Essential ILL lists • OCLC-Sharing-L (Broadcast only) subscription address: http://www.oclc.org/oclc/forms/listserv.htm

13. Essential ILL lists • ILL-L (general discussion list for all things ILL) subscription address: ILL-L-request@webjunction.org list address: ill-l@webjunction.org web address: http://lists.webjunction.org/mailman/listinfo/ill-l

14. Software-specific lists • ARIE-L (for users of Ariel document delivery) subscription address: listserv@listserv.boisestate.edu list address: arie-l@listserv.boisestate.edu web address: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives.arie-l.html

15. Software-specific lists • Clio-l (for users of Clio software) subscription address: listserv@listserv.uconn.edu list address: clio-l@listserv.uconn.edu web address: http://listserv.uconn.edu/clio-l.html

16. Software-specific lists • Illiad-l (for users of Illiad) subscription address: listserv@listserv.vt.edu list address: illiad-l@listserv.vt.edu web address: http://listserv.vt.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=illiad-l

17. Bibliography • Hanson, Brad. The Dictionary of Computing and Digital Media: terms & acronyms. Wilsonville. Oregon: ABF Content, 1999.

18. Questions?? Comments??