Listservs for Maine Librarians


The Maine InfoNet manages various listservs. Subscriptions are free. Most of the listservs are on the general archive page. Some lists are confidential, sensitive, or not hosted by LISTS.MAINE.EDU.

Joining or leaving (or change settings) for most listservs

  • Use the link for Joining or Leaving under each listserv.
  • Before clicking the Join button, read the Subscription Types - how to receive the messages from a listserv:
    • Regular - With a "regular" subscription, you receive individual postings immediately, as they are processed.
      • Regular is the default that is selected; Most people choose "Regular".
      • Fine for listservs like MEINFO, MEFIND, and others that don't have more than a few emails per week
    • Digest: With a "digest" subscription, you receive larger messages (called "digests") at regular intervals, usually once per day or once per week. These "digests" are collections of individual list postings. Some lists are so active that they produce several digests per day.
      • Positive: Digests are a good compromise between reading everything as it is posted and feeling like the list is clogging your mailbox with a multitude of individual postings.
      • Negative: You could miss out on freebies and participating in a discussion in a timely manner.
      • Optional: Can always change how you receive; either Regular or Digest.
  • After Joining, what you must do to be signed up. You will  receive an email asking you to confirm your subscription (usually within a few minutes).
    • If you don't get the email, check that trash bin or your SPAM folder.
    • Click on the link in the email to confirm or you will not be signed up.

Subscriber's Corner

You can see all the lists you are subscribed to and manage them from here. The list table can display selected subscription settings for your settings for each list you are on. You can do the following from the Subscriber's Corner:

  • Subscribe to one or more lists.
  • Signoff from one or more lists.
  • Change your subscription settings on one or more lists.

Using the Subscriber's Corner makes it easier if you go on vacation and need to sign off all your lists but then to sign back on when you return.

Available Listservs

MELIBS-L

MELIBS-L hosts discussion of issues, events, activities and questions related to library service in Maine. If you subscribe to MELIBS-L, there is no need to subscribe to State_Library_MEINFO-L as announcements are posted in both places. Note, however, that broadcast ILL requests are prohibited on MELIBS-L. They should go to MEFIND-L instead.

State_Library_MEINFO-L

State_Library_MEINFO-L is a "read-only" medium solely for distribution of Maine State Library announcements. If you subscribe to MELIBS-L, there is no need to subscribe to State_Library_MEINFO-L as announcements are posted in both places.

MEFIND-L

MEFIND-L was created in response to requests from libraries wishing a medium for broadcast ILL requesting. It is used principally by libraries not linked to Maine InfoNet for statewide interlibrary loan requesting. The Maine State Library encourages libraries to consider joining MaineCat for the most effective approach to online requesting and lending.

MSLDelivery

MSLDelivery was created as a listserv for libraries using the Maine State Library-supported van delivery service for the rapid exchange of interlibrary loan materials in Maine. Discussion of issues regarding delivery and changes to the van delivery service are encouraged to take place on this listserv.

MILS 

The MILS listerv is used to distribute breaking news and critical information. Staff of MILS libraries can and should use the list to discuss the details of issues related to circulation, online requesting, cataloging, statistical reports, or anything else pertaining to MILS.

This list runs on different list software than most of the other lists here but works in a similar manner. Please review the directions on how to join a Google Group if you have any questions.

Minerva-L

Efficient communication between Maine InfoNet, Maine State Library, and Minerva libraries, and among the staffs of Minerva libraries, is essential to making the most of the large and complex integrated library system that underlies Minerva.

This list is used to distribute breaking news and critical information. Staff of Minerva libraries can and should use the list to discuss the details of issues related to circulation, online requesting, cataloging, statistical reports, acquisitions, serials, or anything else pertaining to Minerva. More info can be found on the Minerva page.

MinervaCats-L

MinervaCats focuses on cataloging practice, database quality and related issues as they apply to the Minerva online library system. Anyone working at a Minerva library who does cataloging should be subscribed to this list.

This list runs on different list software than most of the other lists here but works in a similar manner. Please review the directions on how to join a Google Group if you have any questions.

MinervaCirc-L

MinervaCirc focuses on circulation practices, lending and borrowing discussions, and related issues as they apply to the Minerva online library system. Anyone working at a Minerva library who handles circulation or interlibrary loan should be subscribed to this list.

This list runs on different list software than most of the other lists here but works in a similar manner. Please review the directions on how to join a Google Group if you have any questions.

PublicLibDirectors

PublicLibDirectors is a listserv for public library directors  for the discussion of issues and challenges, a forum for sharing ideas, and a place to ask questions of your peers related to managing a library in Maine. 

This list can only be subscribed to if you are a library director in Maine.  Subscriptions and listserv activity will be moderated to insure that only Maine library directors participate. 

MELIB-TRUSTEE

The intent of this list is to improve communication and support continuing education for library board trustees.  We hope that by communicating more directly with trustees, we can better support local library boards as they work to improve library services in their communities.

MELIBS-Fundraising-Development

MELIBS-Fundraising-Development is a listserv primarily for Development and Fundraising professionals at public libraries in Maine. To varying degrees, libraries in Maine are reliant on funding beyond what their town/city provides. This is a forum to discuss challenges, compare notes, pose questions, share tips, and seek feedback among peers about anything fundraising-related. Also open to library staff who are de facto fundraisers at their organization, where there are no designated development personnel on staff.

AcademicLibrarians

The Academic Librarians Interest Group of the Maine Library Association (MLA) has set up a list open to all academic librarians even if you aren't currently an MLA member. The goal is a space for lively academic conversation (much like MELIBS but strictly academic focused). It's a Google Group but you don't have to have a Gmail account to join you can use your .edu email account by following these instructions. You will receive a welcome email once you have subscribed.

YouthServices-L

The purpose of this YOUTHSERVICES-L Listserv is to provide a professional connection for Maine's Youth Services Librarians, public, academic and school, offering an avenue of discussion pertaining uniquely to all aspects of children's services, including literature, programming, policies, administrative and other issues, concerns, and topics within the field."

General Tips on Mailing List Usage

  1. Reply hazards Be careful with the "Reply" function. Make sure the comments you are sending are intended for the entire list and not just the person who posted the original message.  If the message you are sending does not directly relate to the subject of the original message, change the subject line accordingly.
  2. A Direct response to an individual is sometimes better than a response to the list Consider whether a given posting or reply to a posting has interest for MELIBS-L subscribers generally, or could be more appropriately sent directly to one or several individuals.  "Yes, I want that surplus set of Books in Print" is the sort of response that should go to an individual, rather than to the list as a whole.
  3. Problems with quoted messages Caution: If you quote text from a MELIBS-L message in a reply sent to MELIBS-L, delete the text "MELIBS-L@LISTS.MAINE.EDU" wherever it appears in the quoted text.  Failure to do so will cause the message to be rejected by the listserv software and languish, undelivered, until the list owner has time to manually forward it.
  4. Consideration Courtesy and reasonableness are appreciated.  Think first, then type.  Remember that email is a medium in which it is very easy to appear to SHOUT!!!! and engender responses proportional to the perceived volume of the shouting.
  5. Staying on topic, being patient MELIBS-L is intended as a relatively relaxed and tolerant environment.  Postings should have something to do with Maine libraries and the concerns of the Maine library community, but it is inevitable that some postings will be irrelevant to the interests of some subscribers.
    • Subscribers come from widely varied backgrounds and have a broad range of experience with technology and communicating in the electronic medium. What is transparently obvious to some may represent a new and exciting and/or disquieting discovery to others. Once again, the result is a mix of on-point and off-topic  messages depending on a particular subscriber's expectations and experience.
    • The administrative response to this is to avoid strict rules on what is posted and how, offer tips on good practice from time to time, and only respond to egregious misuse of the list -- of which there has been very little over the years.
  6. ILL goes to MEFIND-L, not MELIBS-L Interlibrary Loan requests and responses do not belong on MELIBS-L. Instead, they should be handled on MEFIND-L. The procedure for subscription and use is exactly analogous to that for MELIBS-L, described below.
  7. No attachments Note that MELIBS-L and most of the other listservs do not support attachments to messages. This is mostly a security measure aimed at macro viruses that are frequently passed along in attachments.  Either cut and paste text into your message, or post directions as to how a user may request a large document or obtain it from a web page.
  8. Web management of your subscriptions Subscribers may now control their subscription settings, read messages, and even post messages, from the web. Go to the following web URL to find out more: https://lists.maine.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=MELIBS-L