MnPALS Mailing List - Forum - Wiki Guidelines

Mailing Lists

Definition: a means to deliver email messages to subscribers. This is a method that doesn’t require the user to actively seek out the message; the message goes to the user. An assumption is that a Consortium of MnPALS Libraries member will be able to keep up with basic information just by being subscribed to the MnPALS mailing lists. Therefore, we recommend that all staff at all Consortium of MnPALS Libraries join the MnPALS mailing lists.

Suggested uses:

MnPALS Announce List—for the MnPALS Staff to post maintenance notifications and system alerts.
MnPALS Discuss List—for discussion of topics of general interest to MnPALS libraries. The MnPALS Discuss List has a wider audience than the Forum.

Forum

Definition: a web application for holding ongoing discussions and posting user-generated content*. Messages are retained as postings in topics that are grouped in boards and childboards. This is a method that requires the user to actively seek out the content on the forum, though automatic email notifications can be set on boards/topics.

Suggested uses:

Finalized agendas
Minutes
Ongoing discussion of all types

Wiki

Definition: a web application that allows users to collaborate on and edit all content, including other users content*. This is also a method that requires the user to actively seek out the content on the wiki.

Suggested uses:

Collaborating on agendas before finalization
Collaborating on document creation
Project planning
Sharing a large number of documents and links to resources

*from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia