E-MAIL TIP

Would you like to keep up-to-date on topics that librarians and library staff are discussing at libraries around the world? Do you want to talk about the latest library issues? And more importantly, would you like more e-mail?

How about subscribing to an electronic discussion group? Sometimes you'll hear these called listservs or mailservs, but they're all basically the same thing: when you subscribe, you'll receive e-mail messages that are automagically broadcast to everyone else who's subscribed to the list. E-discussion groups can be a place to share ideas, opinions, problems and solutions.

Here are two good resources for finding the right discussion group for you: Library-Oriented Lists and Electronic Serials and the Internet Library for Librarians: Library E-Mail Lists and Newsgroups.

In most cases when you compose your e-mail message you'll want to be sure to:

• leave the subject line blank
• delete your signature file
• include only the valid subscription commands in the body/text area of the message.

Most importantly, when you receive the standard automated confirmation that says something like "You are now subscribed to the LIBRARY-L list," keep it somewhere! Most of them usually start out with, "Please save this message for future reference" because you'll need it when you want to find out how to unsubscribe. This message may also define the discussion topics that are appropriate, the discussion group's "netiquette," and any special features. You can save this "welcome" message in an e-mail folder, or print it out and file it away, but just keep it!

Some electronic discussion groups archive all the posted messages, so you might want to check the archives first to make sure the group is what you need. If you were thinking of asking a question of the group, maybe you'll find the answer already there in the archives! Here's a sample of some of the archived e-discussion groups:

1. Publib and Publib-Net (for public librarians and library staff)
2. Stumpers-L (reference librarians help each other find the answers to difficult questions)
3. Pubyac (children and young adult services in public libraries).

Here are a few Wisconsin electronic discussion groups you may not find listed elsewhere:

1. FVLC-L, "dedicated to the proposition that more communication among Fox Valley Library Council members is better"
2. the WISCAT discussion list
3. WIPUBLIB, intended "to facilitate communication between the division and the state's public library community" and "to assist libraries to communicate among themselves."

INTERNET TIP

Is there a web site you use every day? Or do you have a favorite search engine or directory that gets your surfing off to a good start?

If you use either Netscape or Internet Explorer as your web browser, you can find all the details for changing your browser's "start-up" page to one of your own choosing at The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Surfers: Choose Your Start-Up Page.

Are you at a loss for the right site to use? Try The 5th Wave!

WINDOWS 95 TIP

The taskbar at the bottom of your Windows 95 desktop screen indicates your minimized programs--programs you have opened and which are still active.

If you don't like the location or size of your taskbar, you can move it to another location, resize it, and even hide it! For all the instructions you'll need, go to the Windweaver Windows 95 Manual.

USEFUL URL O' THE MONTH

The Information Please web site allows you to search almanacs, an encyclopedia and a dictionary using a single search. You can choose a "Quick Search" which finds the most relevant matches, or a full text search which will show you a complete list of every article that contains your keywords.

The web site's information is derived from The Information Please Almanac, The A&E Information Please Entertainment Almanac, The ESPN Information Please Sports Almanac, The Information Please Kids' Almanac, and The Information Please Girls' Almanac, as well as the Columbia Encyclopedia, and the Random House College Dictionary.

Hmmm...sounds like a good candidate for your browser's start up page!

FUN URL O' THE MONTH

The Easter holiday has come and gone, but that doesn't mean you have to stop hunting for Easter eggs! No, I'm not talking about the hard-boiled kind, or even the candy kind. These are little bits of undocumented programming code slipped into software programs that, when activated, offer the user an unexpected "surprise" -- anything from a hidden list of the software developers, to hidden commands, to jokes, to funny animations.

The easiest one to find is the "fishcam" in the Netscape web browser.

You can go on your own Easter Egg hunt by checking out Find the Secrets in Your Software.

RECIPE O' THE MONTH

is Microwave Peanut Butter Fudge.

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