Discussion groups

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[edit] Definition

Much of the communication between librarians happens over electronic mailing lists, Usenet forums, and Web-based discussion boards (incluing blog comments).

Tips: If you are overwhelmed by your discussion groups mail, several groups offer a "Digest" mode, where you receive just one message a day with postings as attachments. Most modern mail programs also have message filters, so you can direct all discussion group postings into designated mail subfolders. This makes reading and managing discussion groups much easier. See also the posting guidelines below.

[edit] Posting Guidelines

Many discussion groups have their own specific guidelines for what is allowed. Make sure you read these and any accompanying materials provided when you join a group. Beyond this, no formal rules exist governing postings; anything that is legal is technically permissible. By following some standard posting guidelines, however, you can contribute to making discussion groups more valuable and productive forums.

  • Choose the right group for your message
    Consider your target audience and first make yourself familiar with any groups you are posting to (this helps for example to avoid duplicate postings). There may be a vendor discussion group for the specific product you are asking about. You should generally avoid posting the same message to multiple discussions.
  • Compose a quality message
    Think about your audience and say something new and substantial. Take the time to phrase your message well, and spell correctly. Be concise, use descriptive subject titles, and cite any appropriate references. Whether you're new to the Internet community or just not familiar with contacting strangers in cyberspace, it may be worth your while to read the guide How To Ask Questions The Smart Way for tips and tricks on asking for advice.
  • Respond properly
    If replying to a message, check first if you answer hasn't been already given. "Me too"-type postings are not very productive, nor are messages indented solely for a single person or that the group would not benefit from. It is also important to realize the difference between replying to the poster directly, and sending a reply to the entire list. Depending on how a list is configured, choosing "Reply to all" may be necessary to send your response to the entire list. Check your "To:" address box to verify this.
  • Avoid spamming
    Chain letters, commercial messages, and the like are normally considered unwanted content. Be aware of possible copyright and licensing limitations to your message. It is also possible that if you have configured an automated response to your mailbox, such as for vacation notices, it may cause problems with any reflectors or mailing lists you are subscribed to; unless you are comfortable with your vacation message being repeatedly sent to all groups you receive, consider suspending your subscriptions before activating any autoresponders.
  • Be especially careful when participating in debates
    Don't be afraid to state your case, but avoid abandoning your civility in favor of a pointless argument. Be prepared to "agree to disagree". Always treat others with respect, avoid insults, and never send a message in anger. Also, remember that without the nonverbal clues present with face-to-face conversion, humor and sarcasm can be easily misunderstood.

These etiquette guidelines are an extension of the responsible practices necessary for representing yourself, your organization, and your profession. You may be addressing millions of potential readers (many groups have archives on the Web), and are being judged by the quality of your contributions. Your participation in a discussion can either create a good professional reputation, or permanently damage your image and credibility.

[edit] Library Discussion Groups

[edit] General

[edit] Associations

  • ASIS-L American Society for Information Science and Technology
  • IFFORUM ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom's list for intellectual freedom issues. Very lively.
  • IFLA-L International Federation of Library Associations
  • LISBd Librarians and Information Scientists, Bangladesh
  • LITA-L Library and Information Technology Association

[edit] Computing

  • DIG_REF Digital Reference Services
  • LIBLICENSE-L Electronic Content Licensing for Academic & Research Libraries
  • NGC4Lib Next Generation Catalogs for Libraries
  • oss4lib Open Source Systems for Libraries
  • PACS-L Public-Access Computer Systems
  • PublibCT Public Library Computer Trainers
  • SYSLIB-L Systems Librarianship
  • Web4Lib The best discussion group for anything Web and library related. Created on the Go4Lib (after the Gopher protocol) model, it is a well-established group for web issues and resources. It is maintained by Roy Tennant and an advisory board. Postings are unmoderated, but very few instances of banning have occurred. Although most discussions are dominated by a few dozen vocal posters, there are thousands of subscribers. Includes a searchable archive.
  • XML4Lib "The XML4Lib electronic discussion is for the discussion of the Extensible Markup Language (XML) and its use in, by, and for libraries and library users."

[edit] Departments

  • ACQNET-L Acquisitions and collection development
  • ARL-ERESERVE Electronic reserve
  • AUTOCAT Cataloging and authority control
  • CIRCPLUS Library circulation issues
  • ExLibris Special collections
  • GOVDOC-L Government Documents
  • ILI-L Information Literacy Instruction
  • LIBADMIN-L Library Administrators
  • LIBREF-L Library Reference. Includes tough reference questions. Although moderated (postings are released once a day), a broad variety of topics are open for discussion. Includes online archives.
  • LM_NET Library media specialists
  • SERIALST Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum
  • STUMPERS Reference questions

[edit] Employment

[edit] New Librarians

  • NEWLIB-L Discussion List for New Librarians
  • NEXGENLIB NexGen Librarian
  • NMRT-L American Library Association - New Members Round Table

[edit] Subjects

  • BUSLIB-L Business Librarians
  • CHMINF-L Chemical Information Sources Discussion List
  • COMLIB-L Communications Librarians Discussion List
  • DLDG-L Dance Librarians Discussion Group
  • Geonet Geoscience Librarians and Information Specialists
  • Law-Lib Law Libraries
  • MAPS-L Maps, Air Photo & Geospatial Systems Forum
  • MEDLIB-L Medical Librarians
  • MLA-L Music Library Association Mailing List

[edit] Vendors

[edit] Youth-Children

  • PUBYAC PUBlic libraries for Young Adults & Children
  • TAGAD-L Teen Advisory Groups Advisory Discussion
  • YALSA-BK Young adult reading

[edit] Directories of Library Discussion Groups

Retrieved from "http://liswiki.org/wiki/Discussion_groups"
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