ICOM-L will be announced to the Internet community during the next few days. Everyone who subscribes from now on will automatically receive two messages. The first provides basic LISTSERV operating instructions and was sent to all current members of ICOM-L when they subscribed to ICOM-Announce. The second provides specific information about ICOM-L and may be seen as the list's charter. This text is being forwarded herewith to present list members. Although it may seem rather austere, please keep in mind that it is only a statement of the list's ground rules. The actual tone of the discussion on ICOM-L can be as friendly and relaxed as the contributors choose to make it. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ICOM-L is intended to provide the electronic network community with a forum for the discussion of ICOM's activities. 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 are made on a separate list, ICOM-Announce, which is open for public subscription but not used as a discussion forum. ICOM-L therefore serves as a primary channel for feedback about material posted on ICOM-Announce. All members of ICOM-L are welcome and encouraged to submit material relevant to the purposes of the list as described here. In order to protect both the host system and the list members from the indiscriminately addressed junk mailings which are becoming a sad fact of network life, all contributions will automatically be forwarded to the list's moderator for approval prior to being posted on the full list. For similar reasons, the names and e-mail addresses of the list members are only available to the list members, themselves. If material is submitted which is clearly more appropriate for one of ICOM's other distribution lists the moderator will contact the contributor and suggest the corresponding redirection. Please note that all announcements made by representatives of ICOM's component bodies concerning ICOM activities will be chanelled through ICOM-Announce. ICOM-L is intended specifically for the discussion of issues relating to ICOM and its activities. There are other distribution lists (most noteably MUSEUM-L) which are 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. Please observe normal rules of network etiquette when posting to ICOM-L. This includes avoiding the routine cross-posting of material which is also sent to other lists. Commercial advertising is not permitted but you are welcome to mention goods and services which you feel may be of interest to the list members as long as this reference has a clear connection to the list's activities.