And if you can handle e-mail, you can manage the mailing lists represented by this electronic noun. Simply downloading messages from all List Serves relevant to your practice could be more than a full-time job. Mailing lists convey an urgency that s just not part of words printed on acid-free paper. But have them delivered straight to you, absolutely free, and you ll notice a compulsion to subscribe to every pertinent list or read every message sent. Scan a day or week s worth of a List Serve at one sitting, saving only relevant messages for perusal.
Many lists have archives of prior messages that enable searching through discussion threads.
Even better are archives that are searchable. Keep track of your List Serves by saving the welcome message. Unsubscribe if a busy period, vacation, or even a weekend offline beckon. Last season s noise-ridden list may now reflect a serious tone. Decide how many lists really are relevant to your practice, and winnow down your subscriptions to the essentials.