[WEB4LIB] RE: Decline in Web4Lib message volume

[Grace J. Agnew]

I've noticed a decline in quantity on most lists.  I suspect this might 
be the result of a proliferation of specific lists or possibly 
indicating that people are moving to newer technologies. There's 
probably also some "list fatique."  I suffer from this, myself.  I took 
the bold step of unsubscribing from most of my lists, and I haven't 
really missed them.  When I have a specific question or need, I search 
the archives for the most relevant lists.  Most of the lists I subscribe 
to now are "update" lists that announce conferences or that something 
has been added to a website that I am interested in.  CNI_Announce is 
one of the most useful of the announce lists I subscribe to.

One of our faculty members returned from ALA Midwinter and set up a blog 
on a public blog site to share her findings and invite contributions 
from others who attended ALA.  I suspect we will start to see list 
traffic decline generally as blog usage increases.  Web4Lib remains one 
of the most, if not the most, useful list I subscribe to, though!

Grace Agnew


Drew, Bill wrote:

>I see it as a case of quality versus quantity.  When this list started,
>it was because of the need for a separate list dedicated to the World
>Wide Web and Libraries.  The need is still there. This list is keeping
>going instead of dwindling down to nothing like PACS-L has.  That list
>is now nothing more than a vehicle for occasional announcements.  It is
>unfortunate because it filled a very valuable niche and could still be
>valuable if it hadn't been choked to death by too many restrictions.
>Roy Tennant and the Web4Lib board have done an excellent job in gently
>keeping us on topic without choking the list to death.  Keep up the good
>work.  I was one of the first to subscribe to Web4Lib and I hope to see
>it continue for many years to come.
>
>Bill Drew
>drewwe at morrisville.edu
>
>
>  
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