[WEB4LIB] Browser Based Email

[Jerry Kuntz]

Sue, et al.,
    As a fifty member library system, we probably have similar needs to yours. This past fall, we moved to our email server to an NT system running Ipswitch's IMail with web messaging. The web messaging has solved some enormous problems we had been having: supporting multiple email client software; users that don't have their own dedicated PCs at work; users wanting access to not only their new messages but all their stored messages from remote locations; address books; attachments support; an integrated listserv program; virus and spam filtering, etc.
    I can't give a wholehearted endorsement of Imail--it has its bugs and limitations--but it has made life much easier for us, and reviewed favorably against similar software when we were researching web-based email servers.

    See: http://www.ipswitch.com/Products/IMail_Server/index.html

    Also note that much of the functionality I've described can be had free from online commercial serrvices, like Hotmail. What's that I hear? Hotmail was down today? We'll run our own server, thank you.


---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: Sue Priver <spriver at mln.lib.ma.us>
Reply-To: spriver at mln.lib.ma.us
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 2001 13:59:01 -0800 (PST)

>I work for a large automated network consisting of 41 member libraries,
>public and small academic.  Currently, we have 2 Alphas (VMS) that host our
>catalog as well as all of the email for the network.  We are looking into
>solutions for another server to be our email host.  All of the library
>staff members (aprox. 1300) have email accounts through the network. They
>love the portability of vaxmail, so that all of the messages can be viewed
>from any terminal (or terminal emulation) anywhere.  Are any of you using
>Browser based e-mail packages?  If so, what packages are you using, and
>what type of mail server is hosting the package?  At this point, we are
>looking into purchasing a new mail server, so we are not restricted in that
>area.  Thank you for any information on this topic.
>
>Sue Priver
>Asst. User Services Librarian
>Minuteman Library Network
>10 Strathmore Road
>Natick, MA  01760
>508-655-8008 x235
>Fax: 508-655-1507
>http://www.mln.lib.ma.us/
>

--
Jerry Kuntz
Electronic Resources Consultant
Ramapo Catskill Library System
jkuntz at rcls.org
--