Discussion lists
Online discussion lists (sometimes called groups, newsgroups or forums) are the Internet version of electronic bulletin boards, popular among computer users long before Internet. A user can post comments on a topic and other users can respond. Messages are visible to all members of the group and some services provide extensions such as file storage and calendaring. The original newsgroup service, Usenet, is now available via Google Groups. Other services include MailSpaces and Yahoo Groups.
Discussion lists are a useful tool for both individual professional development and solving specific problems. Lists work in the following way. You have to sign up as a member, giving your e-mail address. Any of the members can send in an e-mail with information of interest to the group or a question. All these e-mails are forwarded automatically to all list members. This usually generates a flurry of helpful responses.
Some lists are moderated so that the e-mails are only posted after they have been vetted. For the lists you use, you should be aware which are vetted and which allow e-mails to be sent instantaneously.
We can classify discussion lists into three broad categories:
- professional discussion lists run by or for the professional library bodies
- government or local government sponsored lists
- ad hoc lists run by interested people or groups.
Let's have a look now at Professional discussion lists ...
