[Web4lib] Are e-mail discussion lists still relevant?

[Blake, Tom]

I do love my silos sometimes, as well.
But I am hoping a better phrase comes along soon.
I can't stop thinking about missiles and corn.



Thomas Blake
Digital Imaging Production Manager
Boston Public Library
700 Boylston St.
Boston, MA 02116
617 859-2039



-----Original Message-----
From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Thomas Dowling
Sent: Tuesday, June 30, 2009 10:11 AM
To: web4lib at webjunction.org
Subject: Re: [Web4lib] Are e-mail discussion lists still relevant?

On 06/30/2009 09:50 AM, Leo Robert Klein wrote:

> 
> Just because it's old doesn't mean it's worn out.  Either that, or
> librarians love their silos.
> 


An e-mail list is still an effective many-to-many forum (or, on most
lists, at
least a several-to-many forum with lots of lurkers).  Blogs and tweets
are
virtual podiums with owners saying their piece and maybe allowing
comments.  I
don't see how either can or should replace the other.  And with the
relative
amounts of online bloviation vs. actual discussion, I hope the good
lists I'm
on continue for many years to come.

And I do love silos when they're appropriate.  I'm glad I'm not trying
to track
any topics in a forum called "Everything About Every Kind of Information
Everywhere".  :-)


-- 
Thomas Dowling
tdowling at ohiolink.edu


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