Electronic Mailing Lists

Electronic mailing lists allow a group of people with a common interest to communicate easily, rapidly, and efficiently. They are sometimes referred to as listservs, but LISTSERV is also the name of a software application used to manage these mailing lists. The application allows users to pose a question or state an observation to all members of the list at once. In most cases, all responses to the question are sent to all members of the list. This entry discusses the history and uses of electronic mailing lists.

Given that email is the Internet’s most widely used application, the number and variety of electronic mailing lists is staggering. Any group of people who share a common interest are potential members. Typically, most electronic mailing lists are ...