Y’s Guide to KEEPING UP WITH LM_NET


LM_Net : http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ the listserv for school librarians around the world. Note: see also my article about LM_Net.


To subscribe to LM_Net:

  1. Send an e-mail message to:  LISTSERV@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
  2. In the first line of the message, type: SUBSCRIBE LM_NET YourFirstname Lastname
  3. The LM_NET listserv computer will respond with an informative message asking for a confirmation.  Follow the directions in that email, and you will be added to the mailing list.

My recommended procedure for handling the 100+ messages per day:

  1. Use a separate web-based email address for your subscription.  I use Gmail, since it automatically ‘threads’ messages on the same topic.
  2. Access this mailbox only once a day, or every other day.
  3. If possible, sort all messages by subject, and immediately delete any that don’t interest you.
  4. Then read what’s left, and decide what you want to do with the info. (folders, tags, c&p into text files, etc.)
  5. Wait at least 1 day before responding to any simple data requests — often someone else will have supplied the answer by that time.

If even that process is still more than you can cope with, consider these alternatives:
  • Sign up for the Digest version, which clumps every 10 or so messages into one big one.
  • Sign up for LM_Net Select, which sends you a weekly summary of the highlights, with hotlinks to assorted posts.
  • Join LM_Net, but set your subscription to NO MAIL. You’ll need to go to the archives to read posts (usually 2 days late), but you can respond to posts, or even post your own comments, without having a filled mailbox.