Most of the postings on this list are not useful to me.  Usually they are simply too specialized (such as the string on lighting issues).  While it is sometimes cumbersome to open my inbox and find 45 new messages (along with an attendant threat from Hotmail that they will delete part of my overstuffed account if I don't do a mass deletion)  the fact is that many of the messages which are irrelevant to me are relevant to others.  This is the very nature of this type of list. If I asked other participants to stop posting messages about what I consider to be obscure and narrow details of museum work, I'm cutting off a source of helpful information for many others who share my interest in museumship but not my specific career interests or needs.

In most email systems, it is usually very easy to filter messages based on the titles of the messages.  This is a simple process.  It is also standard practice by users of any mailing list, since it is inevitable that not all messages will be relevant to all subscribers.  Unless messages are blatantly irrelevant or uncivil, encouraging loose posting guidelines is a way for lists to serve the needs of as many users as possible.

I am a PhD student in American History without a shred of experience in the museum world.  When I realized that I wanted to practice history in a public- rather than an academic setting- this list was recommended to me as a way to learn the ropes, gather information, and get a sense of current issues facing museum professionals.  It has done just that.  The job information here is absolutely essential to me, and if a significant number of subscribers are requesting job guidance and advice, that means there is an established need and demand for such information. And the list, after all, is supposed to serve the needs of its subscribers. 

This list is an omnibus for all aspects of museum work.  As such, it gives subscribers a wide range of exposure to a tremendous variety of information, which they can choose to use- or not.  To restrict the type of postings permitted on the list might make some subscriber's lives slightly simpler- but it would undoubtedly leave many more people (especially those of us who are just starting out) bereft of helpful and relevant information.

Thanks for listening.

Mia Bruch