Association of Local Government Auditors

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Join Our ListServ | Print |

What is it? A list server, also known as a Reflector, is like an email discussion group. A group of people with a common interest "subscribe" to a list server that maintains a distribution list. Any subscriber who sends e-mail to the list server has it distributed to all of the members. This is all automatic and fairly simple.

 

Subscribing
Posting
Unsubscribing
Usage Guidelines

Why subscribe? It's easy to use and it's fast. A list server allows ALGA members to communicate at almost real time with a handful, dozens, or even hundreds of other members with a single e-mail message.

Who is involved? The City Auditor of Tempe, Arizona, has made arrangements so ALGA can use the city's list server. We have over 275 subscribers from many different local, state, federal, and other agencies.
Subscribing Lists can be subscribed to, and unsubscribed from as easily as a single one line message, or use our automated subscription form below. A message is sent to Member Services, which authorizes the subscription.
Use our Automated Subscription
You can automatically subscribe at the following link:
http://www.tempe.gov/lists/control.aspx?list=alga&return=http://www.tempe.gov
Or, Manual Subscription
First, start a fresh e-mail and in the To: line put the name of the list server. In this case, it is listserv@lists.tempe.gov. Any time you are sending a request to the server to respond to you would use this address.

Don't enter anything in the subject line - it's ignored.

In the body of the message you type subscribe alga.

Then, send the message.

Within a few minutes (normally) you will get a message back asking you to confirm your subscription. You simply do a reply to that message with only "ok" in the message. It has fairly good instructions in the confirmation message.

After a few more minutes a message should arrive giving you a hearty welcome to the listserv along with a complete set of nice instructions on other commands you can give the list server. The most important command is how to remove your subscription, so keep this message in a safe place.
Posting
 Now that you are on a listserv, how do you post a message? It's as simple as sending an e-mail.
Start a new message and address the message to:


The subject is important, since this will tell the others who have subscribed what your message is about. Don't attach any file larger than 150k to your messages that go to the list. The listserv won't send large.
Unsubscribing When going on vacation and/or activating your "I'm out of the office" auto reply in your email program, you must sign off the list until you get back. Otherwise, whenever someone posts a message to the listserv, your email program tries to tell them you are gone...and that message can end up going to about 300 subscribers.
Usage Guidelines Things to remember about using a listserv:
Try to stay on the subject of local government auditing.

Don't send advertisements for services or products.

Don't send anything that you wouldn't want the general public to read. (A good rule in general!)

Think about your reply - should it be a personal reply, or would everyone on the list be interested in your answer?

If you'd like to hear responses to someone else's question send the "Me, too" message only to that person. (Reply, not Reply to All)

If you receive a "Me, too" message to one of your questions, post a summary of the responses for everyone on the listserv. That works for members who email that they also want to hear the results, and members who are providing part of the answer.

Reply to All works best when there is wide-ranging discussion on topics, when the Listserv can be an exciting means of drawing us all into a relevant auditing issue.

Unsubscribing should be a part of your routine whenever you set up an Out of Office notice. (I admit to forgetting that courtesy last month.) You can unsubscribe easily on the Listserv page of the ALGA website.

If you want to keep your listserv messages organized, you can create an email folder and a rule (Tools/Rule Wizard in Outlook) to move listserv emails from your In-box to that folder. Then you can browse the folder when you get a chance.


Enjoy your time on the ALGA listserv!

For questions or comments: webmaster@governmentauditors.org