Re: [ARSCLIST] The case for message boards.

[Christie Peterson <cpeterso@xxxxxxxxx>]

The Society of American Archivists' "Archives and Archivists" listserv 
switched last year to a software system that allows an interface similar 
to a bulletin board for those who want it, while remaining a listserv. 
It's not perfect, but most members have been satisfied once they got 
used to the interface.

If you're in the pro-message-board-camp, you can join, but not have it 
send emails to you, and instead go read them on the website whenever you 
want, and respond through the online interface rather than your email 
account.  Non-members can read, but only list members can post and get 
emails.  You can see it in action at 
http://forums.archivists.org/read/?forum=archives

The list is not moderated, but it does have a Coordinator, a member who 
is paid a small fee (I think it's around $1,100/year) by the SAA for his 
troubles. 

There is a lengthy terms of participation agreement, which can be viewed 
at http://www.archivists.org/listservs/arch_listserv_terms.asp 

I'm unaware of whether they've ever had to "enforce" the terms on a 
particular participant or not, but the statement "Punitive action is 
rare and generally follows numerous warnings and persistent disregard 
for these Terms of Participation" seems to indicate they have.

Just thought I'd throw this out there as an example of how another group 
has handed these issues.

Christie Peterson
Project Archivist, Muskie Archives & Special Collections
Bates College
70 Campus Avenue
Lewiston, ME 04240-6018
(t) 207-753-6918
(f) 207-755-5911



Parker Dinkins wrote:
> on 3/6/07 10:27 AM US/Central, Eric Jacobs at EricJ@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> wrote:
>
>   
> > There may be other forum and bulletin board software that offers
> > both an email list and a nice web UI.
> >     
>
> Here is software which does both - http://www.webboard.com/
>
>