UNC-CH Information Technology Services

Listserv tips can help you send and receive messages

Listservs are a big part of communications at Carolina - make sure you are making the most of them. Here are a few tips about using a list.

Close your list.

Chances are, the lists you subscribe to are closed. This prevents spammers from sending e-mails to the list by only allowing confirmed members to send messages to the list. If you’re receiving junk e-mail on a list, contact that list’s administrator and ask him or her to change the list’s settings. If you’re a list admin, find out how at http://help.unc.edu/?id=4007.

Match your e-mail addresses.

Many people have trouble sending messages to lists that they subscribe to. This is related to the closed list setting and to e-mail aliases. For instance, you may be subscribed to a list as joe_smith[at]unc.edu (your alias), but you may have your e-mail set up so that messages from you are from jsmith[at]email.unc.edu (your Onyen). If the listserver recognizes you only as joe_smith[at]unc.edu, jsmith[at]email.unc.edu will not be seen as a member, and the post will be rejected.

If you have this problem, there are two ways to fix it. First, you can have your list administrator alter your e-mail address so that messages are sent and received by the “same” e-mail address. If you don’t know your list admin, find out what to do at http://help.unc.edu/?id=4848. Second, edit your e-mail client settings so that your mail is sent from the address that matches your list subscriptions.

But be careful: if you’re subscribed to multiple lists, editing settings to help some delivery with some lists may hurt others. Which brings us to:

Subscribe to all lists with the same e-mail address.

While you can have multiple e-mail addresses at Carolina, it’s easiest to send and receive list messages and monitor your list memberships if all your lists recognize you with the same e-mail address. To learn how to see which lists you’re subscribed to with your current e-mail settings, visit http://help.unc.edu/?id=862.

Ask for help!

If you’re having troubles with a list you’re subscribed to or administering, don’t hesitate to ask ITS for help! Call 962-HELP and we’ll get everything squared away.