aliaNEWS FAQ

The aliaNEWS e-list broadcasts short and succinct messages with ALIA news and Association information about events, ALIA happenings, and/or discussion points of direct interest to members of ALIA and the LIS sector.

Although it is not a closed (members-only) e-list, it is nonetheless used as the primary online channel for broadcasting ALIA news information. It is delivered in plain-text and html format to roughly 6000 to 7000 e-mail addresses, with a frequency that is best described as 'almost monthly'. The frequency is dependent upon the news 'buffer' filling: at least 6 (and no more than 12) news items are required before an issue is broadcast.

No more than 12 messages are broadcast per year, and no more than two messages are broadcast per month. aliaNEWS is available to subscribers in the form of an e-list broadcast, as an RSS newsfeed, and as a collection of web pages on ALIAnet's website.

Because of the process by which we invite members to sign-up to this e-list (it is unique in that membership applications offer an option for us to subscribe individuals to aliaNEWS), it has:

• a different process for management;
• a different method of communication (one-way); and
• a different approach to dealing with requests to post information to the e-list.

Each message (or news item) consists of a heading of less than 70 characters (with no links), followed by a single paragraph of up to 100 words in length, which may contain a link to a relevant URL on the ALIAnet website for further detail or information or even e-mail addresses. If relevant, the item may have an additional URL to close the paragraph (but this is not included in the overall word-count).

As each broadcast is delivered via e-mail (a text-based medium), the entire message is delivered as plain text, with each line wrapped to no more than 75 characters per line. Each broadcast contains references to subscription information, feedback, a table of contents, and a link to a web-based version (for archiving and linking).

Members of ALIA wishing to submit material for consideration should firstly consider the points above (and determine if the material is suitable) and then contact the ALIA managing editor at incite@alia.org.au.nospam

There are also alternative and parallel avenues for communication of non-ALIA material :

• through the aliaLISTOWNERS e-list;
• through the aliaPUBNEWS e-list;
• the ALIAnet Events pages (for a fee); or
• through inCite (also for a fee, unless written as a genuine news item).

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