The message that is automatically sent to new members of ICOM-L
has been modified to reflect the changes in the list's structure
that have been described in recent messages. Since those of you
who joined the list prior to the release of the new welcome
text would not otherwise see it, a copy is being sent to the
entire list. Please note that this text contains the list's
charter and you are asked to read it carefully.

 - - - - - - - - - -

Welcome to the International Council of Museums central
distribution list, ICOM-L. Please read the entire following
text before using the list. You will also receive instructions
for the operation of the LISTSERV facility in a separate message.
Please study that text, as well. You may wish to pay particular
attention to the procedures that it describes for obtaining
copies of previous contributions to the list.

Two other technical details which you should also keep in mind
are that you will not automatically receive copies of messages
that you send to the list. You may change this and other
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explained in the LISTSERV instructions. Also, if mail sent to you
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name will remain on the list, you will not receive any further
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The ICOM-L Charter is stated immediately below. You are
respectfully asked to refrain from participating in the list's
activity if you do not find the terms of its Charter to be
acceptable.

ICOM-L is intended to provide the electronic network community
with a forum for the discussion of ICOM's activities. List
members receive official announcements about the availability of
ICOM documents on archive sites on the Internet, as well as
general news and information about ICOM's scheduled events.

Although the submission of material originating outside ICOM is
both expected and welcome, list members are asked to remember
that ICOM-L is intended for the discussion of issues relating to
ICOM and its activities. There are other distribution lists, most
noteably MUSEUM-L, that may be more suitable for general
museological issues and ICOM-L should not be seen as simply one
more list to which material must be posted if the contributor
wishes to address the entire museum community.

Only registered members of ICOM-L may address communications to
it. The ability to obtain listings of the names and e-mail
addresses of its members is similarly restricted.

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list.

This list is moderated and you may expect action to be taken from
time to time in order to keep discussion from wandering too far
off target. The distribution of such things as press releases and
announcements that have been addressed to numerous other lists
may be withheld without comment. A message consisting of the
verbatim quote of another message that has already been sent to
the list adding a one or two word remark along the line of,
"Bravo", "I agree" or "Me too", may be treated in a similar
manner. Also, please keep in mind that ICOM-L is not being
maintained simply as a lower-traffic alternative to any
pre-existing museum list.

Communications that are relevant to the list but which have also
been sent to other lists will be forwarded to ICOM-L only if
the moderator feels that it is unlikely that a substantial number
of list members will see the message elsewhere.

All contributions posted on the list are stored in publicly
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your communications made available in this manner. You may
access these archives either via LISTSERV according to the
instructions provided when you joined the list or at:

     http://home.ease.lsoft.com/Archives/icom-l.html

Please observe normal rules of network etiquette and brevity when
posting to the list. Avoid automatic extensive quoting of
communications upon which you are commenting. Do not under any
circumstances use any form of "attachment" to communications
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dissemination by direct posting to the distribution list can
always be placed on a Web site and the list used for calling
attention to the relevant URL.

Every message sent to the list may not be deliverable to all list
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recipient's e-mail system, such as limitations on mailbox size,
you may occasionally receive notification of delivery failure.
This does not indicate any problem with the distribution list,
itself.

Host services for ICOM-L are provided by the International
Council of Museums with the support of the Department of
Information Technology at the Swedish Museum of Natural History
and L-Soft international, Inc.

The list owner is:

       Cary Karp <[log in to unmask]>

Please note that the list owner does not provide manual
assistance with the operation of LISTSERV unless provided with an
explanation of the reason why the automated facility cannot be
used.