Listservs

ListServs

THE INTERNET contains literally thousands of special interest discussion groups, each individually managed by an Internet server known as a list server (commonly referred to as a Listserv, list processor or a list). Lists are often moderated by a list owner, but this is not always the case; some lists are simply a free-for-all discussion without a person filtering the messages. Most lists can be provided to the user either in a digest form or on a post-by-post basis - directions for choosing this setting will usually appear in the welcome message you receive once you've joined the list. Any member of a list may take part in a conversation or begin a new topic. Listservers can also distribute electronic journals (e-journals) and newsletters, which are simply online magazines that are edited and distributed as a list. In general, most lists and e-journals can be joined by posting an email to the listserver address and writing the following in the first line of the actual posting:

subscribe [name of list] [your first name] [your last name]

Nothing else may be written within the message page. For example, if twaits@swordfishtrombones.com wanted to join the Education Technology list (EDTECH), he would send mail to listserv@h-net.msu.edu and write the following within the the post:

subscribe EDTECH Tom Waits

The listserver program will then add you to the list. The above descriptive is from Andy Carvin's website.

The following links are to sites that have lists and/or databases of various types of listservs (i.e. discussion groups). The listservs vary from health related issues to politics to hobbies to anything that people with a common interest wish to communicate about.

Andy Carvin's personal collection of education-centered discussion groups http://edweb.gsn.org/lists.html

Internet Mailing List Providers http://catalog.com/vivian/mailing-list-providers.htm

Foreign Affairs Network Listservs - You can automatically receive via email full texts of selected U.S. Department of State documents and publications that provide key official information on U.S. foreign policy; you also can receive notifications of Foreign Travel Per Diem updates and new Dispatch Magazine issues. http://www.state.gov/www/listservs.html

National Institute for Literacy - Literacy Forums and Listservs http://www.nifl.gov/forums.html

Educational Listservs for teachers http://www.sfusd.k12.ca.us/resources/listserv.html

Library Listservs and Journals http://www.library.nwu.edu/resources/library/libjnl.html

EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) Listservs http://www.epa.gov/epahome/listserv.htm

Employment Listservs and websites http://alexia.lis.uiuc.edu/gslis/people/students/jobs.html

Dr. Grohol's Mental Health Page Listservs http://www.grohol.com/mail.htm

Listservs about Women's Health http://www-unix.umbc.edu/~korenman/wmst/f_hlth.html

Association of Cancer Online Resources Listserv lists http://www.acor.org//listserv.html

OncoLink list of cancer related Listservs http://oncolink.upenn.edu/forms/listserv.html

CataList catalog of Listserv lists http://www.lsoft.com/lists/listref.html

Listz Listserv Directory http://www.liszt.com/

LISTSERV list from the University of Maryland.
http://www.inform.umd.edu/CompRes/NetInfo/Listserv/listserv-lists

art by ashley james