List Administration Guide

This page describes what a new list owner needs to know in order to administer a LISTSERV list.

Using the List

Being the owner of the list does not imply that you are subscribed to the list. In most cases, you will probably want to be subscribed to the list. You need to be subscribed if you want to receive mail posted to the list. See the "Adding Subscribers to the List" section below for instructions you can use for subscribing yourself.

Once subscribed, you will receive all messages sent to the list. You can send to the list by sending a message to LISTNAME@listserv.messiah.edu, where LISTNAME is the name of the list.

Administering LISTSERV

There are two main approaches to interacting with LISTSERV on an administrative level. You can use the "email interface" or the "web interface". (The "web interface" is recommended.) The email interface consists of sending LISTSERV "commands" to the LISTSERV address (listserv@listserv.messiah.edu). This is generally the way we tell regular users to subscribe to a list if they're interested. The web interface is accessed through a web browser, and to use it you simply go to listserv.messiah.edu and login using your LISTSERV password.

LISTSERV Passwords

When you use the web interface, you will need a LISTSERV password to perform any command. A LISTSERV password can be obtained on the LISTSERV login screen. Look for the "get a new LISTSERV password" link within the text of the login screen. If you do not already have a LISTSERV password, click on this link. You will enter your email address, a password of your choice, and click the Register Password button. LISTSERV will send a verification email to the email address you supplied. When you receive the verification email, it will have instructions for how to proceed. When you finish the process, you will have a login you can use to access the LISTSERV web interface functionality.

Adding Subscribers to a List

Once logged into LISTSERV, select "Subscriber Management" from the "List Management" menu. If you are the owner of more than one list, you will be prompted to select which list you want to manage.

To add a new subscriber, type their name and address in the displayed format and click the "Add to LIST" button. That's all there is to it!

Removing Subscribers from a List

Similarly, to remove a subscriber from a list, select "Subscriber Management" from the "List Management" menu. This time, type the person's name or email address, or part of their name or email address, and click the "Search" button. If a match is found, you can click the "Delete" button in order to remove them from the list.

Getting a List of All Subscribers

You may want to get a complete list of all the people on your list. You can do this on the same screen as adding and removing subscribers. On the Subscriber Management screen, beneath the Add New Subscriber section, there is a line labeled "Review List Members". Click the "In Browser" or "By Email" link, as desired, to get a list of all list members.

Technical Support

If you need help performing list-administrative tasks, create an IT Service Request, set the queue to "Other/General", and put "LISTSERV" in the subject.