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But does a "hit" or a "click" actually mean it's relevant to the person clicking it? These are questions libraries also ask in usage statistics for online resources all the time. A feature about email lists is just that--someone is pushing the information outwards. it is not necessarily two way, but one way unless people participate and make it a vital tool and not a dead technology. These are important aspects I think at least, in terms of understanding ourselves and our users. Cheers, Karen W ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Karen Weaver, MLS, Adjunct Faculty, Cataloging & Classification, The iSchool at Drexel University, Philadelphia PA email: [log in to unmask] Electronic Resources Statistician, Duquesne University, Gumberg library, Pittsburgh PA email: [log in to unmask] On Mon, Apr 26, 2010 at 8:50 PM, B.G. Sloan <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > > Joshua Alvarez said: "The problem isn't caused any sort of perception of > 'old-school' (although that perception certainly exists), it's just that > there are better tools for the job." > > I'm simply saying that library-oriented e-mail lists are not as passe as > some might think/believe. I'm simply saying that they still serve a vital > purpose for many, and are not a dead technology. I'm not comparing them to > newer social software technologies other than to say that e-mail lists are > still relevant. > > Here's another case in point. Just this morning I posted something to > several lists about an interesting article. Nine hours later 4,500 people > had clicked on the link in that posting. > > Bernie Sloan > > --- On *Sun, 4/25/10, Joshua Alvarez <[log in to unmask]>* wrote: > > > From: Joshua Alvarez <[log in to unmask]> > Subject: Re: Listservs and what they reflect--or not > > To: [log in to unmask] > Date: Sunday, April 25, 2010, 10:00 PM > > > The problem isn't caused any sort of perception of "old-school" (although > that perception certainly exists), it's just that there are better tools for > the job. I personally reserve email for communication between myself and > another party, and the content of that communication is intended to remain > there. Discussions such as these are generally intended to be exposed to the > public. > > Moderated lists are easily replaced by blogs (and at minimum cost, a > blogger or Wordpress account is free to set up), and public lists are again > replaced by online forums. In both cases, they are easily integrated with > Twitter or Facebook (and most importantly, can generate an RSS feed), are > able to be supported by ads, and also provide for traffic analysis. > > Most importantly, they generate a repository of information and past > discussions for new users to sift through and discover that is much more > accessible than the archives of the list. In addition, they make that > information more available to the public. Set up correctly, titles of blog > and forum posts are indexed by Google, making it easier for potential new > users to come across. > > Josh Alvarez > University of Buffalo DLIS > > On Sun, Apr 25, 2010 at 8:57 PM, B.G. Sloan <[log in to unmask]<http:[log in to unmask]> > > wrote: > >> >> I'm not quite sure what Karen Weaver's question is, but if she's >> suggesting that library-related e-mail lists are passe that's not a good >> assumption. (Note: I say "e-mail lists" instead of "listservs" because >> "Listserv" is a registered trademark of one company that provides list >> management software). >> >> I've seen people "dis" e-mail lists as old-school, an anachronism that's >> been replaced by social software. I think that's especially ironic, since >> e-mail lists are one of the original "social software" applications. There >> are quite a few vibrant library-related e-mail lists out there. Web4Lib >> recently logged its 5,000th subscriber, and discussions there are active. >> Another list I'm on discusses a relatively narrow topic (the future of >> library catalogs), but has 2,000 members and frequently features heated >> discussion. And there are other similar examples. >> >> And then there's what I call the "hidden reach" of library e-mail lists. >> I've recently been experimenting with bit.ly to track the number of >> clicks on URLs in e-mails that I post to library e-mail lists. I'd say, on >> the average, that around 2,000 people click on the unique bit.ly URLs in >> most e-mails that I post to these lists. For one posting, 4,373 people >> clicked on my unique bit.ly URL. I think that's evidence that people rely >> on library e-mail lists for information. >> >> Bernie Sloan >> >> --- On *Sat, 4/24/10, Karen Weaver <[log in to unmask]<http:[log in to unmask]> >> >* wrote: >> >> >> From: Karen Weaver <[log in to unmask]<http:[log in to unmask]> >> > >> Subject: Listservs and what they reflect--or not >> To: [log in to unmask]<http:[log in to unmask]> >> Date: Saturday, April 24, 2010, 11:17 PM >> >> >> Do listservs actually help others become better professionals or learn >> about the profession? >> >> Or do they act as simply channels of certain types of communication and >> discussions, that is delivered to an inbox? >> >> Similarly, we should ask, if social media such as Facebook, Twitter, >> Academia.edu etc provide something else or not? >> >> While many lists exist, I do not believe that today's librarians or others >> on listservs are actually using them like they did 10 years ago. >> >> If a new LIS graduate goes no a job interview today and the interviewer >> asks how they are active professionally, and what do they read online etc >> do you think that it is going to benefit them always to mention listservs >> from the early 1990s ? to some degree but it will also indicate that they >> are not aware of current channels and trends. Just some thoughts. / kw >> >> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >> Karen Weaver, MLS, Adjunct Faculty, Cataloging & Classification, The >> iSchool at Drexel University, Philadelphia PA email: >> [log in to unmask]<http:[log in to unmask]>/ Electronic Resources Statistician, Duquesne University, Gumberg Library, >> Pittsburgh PA email: [log in to unmask]<http:[log in to unmask]> >> * >> * >> *"It is well to give when asked, but it is better to give unasked, * >> *through understanding."--Kahlil Gibran* >> >> >> > >