[Genealib] [MODERATOR] All subscribers - Read and save this for future reference

[Smith, Andrew M.]

On average about once every other month I receive an e-mail from a GENEALIB subscriber because their posting to GENEALIB has been rejected, and the subscriber is confused or upset.  They are unaware that the rejection system is automated and is not done by a human being, and has nothing to do with the content of the posting nor the qualifications of the poster.  

Unfortunately, the system that runs GENEALIB does not allow me to edit the text that is automatically sent out as part of the rejection.  If it did, it would save the recipient (and me) a great deal of time and effort.

However, I have just now modified the message that *new* GENEALIB subscribers automatically receive as part of their welcome.  While I am fully aware that most people don't pay much attention to mailing list welcome messages (we've seen them all before, and they are all pretty much alike), I am hopeful that some folks will read them and be spared wondering why their GENEALIB posting was rejected.

For those of you already subscribed to GENEALIB, here is the new text that I have added to the welcome message:

"Very important note: Only subscribers can post to GENEALIB.  If you attempt to post to GENEALIB from an e-mail address that differs in any way from your subscription address (even if it differs only slightly), your message will be automatically rejected by the system. This problem will also occur if your organization has changed the format of your e-mail address (but is still accepting e-mail at the old address), or if you are using a new address but having e-mail automatically forwarded from your old address to your new one.  In this case, you will still be receiving messages from GENEALIB, but you won't be able to post messages to GENEALIB. If you cannot resolve this problem on your own, the GENEALIB list administrator can assist you."

Another reason I'm doing this is that you may experience the same problem with other lists that you're subscribed to.  This may help explain what is happening.

Now, a personal request: *Please* don't use a vacation auto-responder (you know, the ones that automatically respond to every incoming e-mail message saying you're out of the office until some weeks from now) unless you can first figure out how to get them not to send messages to GENEALIB.  The rest of the GENEALIB subscribers will appreciate it, I'm sure.

Regards,
Drew Smith
GENEALIB List Administrator

Andrew M. "Drew" Smith
Information Literacy Librarian
Reference and Instruction, Tampa Library
University of South Florida
amsmith at lib.usf.edu
813-974-3492 (work), 813-263-2028 (cell)

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