Dear SERIALST Subscribers,

Below is some news and information from the SERIALST listowner that
may or may not affect your subscription to the list.

We are running some tests over the course of the next several weeks to
look at ways of reducing incoming spam (unsolicited messages & junk mail).
Over the past few weeks the problem has become increasingly difficult to
deal with and has been compounded by some spam that has contained
attachments with viruses. The moderators have been able to successfully
block these messages from SERIALST distribution during the vast majority
of cases.  However, earlier this month, two messages with forged editor
signatures and dubious attachments bypassed our set up and were
distributed to the list.  We regret that this happened.  It was not
something that we anticipated or even realized could happen until after
the fact.

Various steps have been taken to try to tighten security on SERIALST.
The list has recently been reconfigured to reject messages with
attachments.  We are also experimenting with a "private"  configuration --
so that the LISTSERV software (i.e., platform we use for SERIALST)
accepts messages only from currently subscribed members of SERIALST.

The "private" configuration is currently in test mode.

The benefit of the "private" list is that it blocks spam (i.e.,
unsolicited mail from non-subscribers that is directed at the SERIALST
address).  The drawback is that, for more than a decade, SERIALST has been
an open list, accepting messages for review from anywhere on the Internet
and happily posting those messages that fall within the general scope of
"serials and libraries and other related news and issues".  We are
reluctant to change this policy.  Further, we worry that such a policy may
cause problems for legitimate list subscribers who have email addresses
that vary between the email address in the headers of their current email
messages vs. the form of the email address on the SERIALST subscription
list -- discrepancies which may cause LISTSERV to reject messages that are
addressed to SERIALST from valid subscribers.

Frankly, the moderators, who are, afterall, librarians -- like many of
you -- with limited time and email resources -- especially for dealing
with spam and/or spam with viruses -- don't know what else to do about
increasing amounts of spam that have been directed at the list address and
have, on some days, brought our mailing systems to dangerous levels of
overflow.

Do we leave the list open and try not to get stressed about handling
massive amounts of spam?  Or do we restrict postings to just current
subscribers and cut out the spam?  Is there another solution?  (we don't
know of one) ... These are some of the questions the moderators have been
asking.

What does this "test configuration" mean for you, the average SERIALST
subscriber?

It may mean that, if you are a current subscriber, with a variant address,
that LISTSERV rejects a message that you try to post to SERIALST.  If this
is the case, try sending your message to the serialst-request address :
serialst-request@list.uvm.edu.

If you have a variant address and are not capable of changing it, you can
also write to serialst-request@list.uvm.edu, describe the issue or
concern, and one of the moderators will try to help you resolve the
problem (we may just remove your old form address and ask you to
resubscribe under your current address).

If you have questions or concerns about your subscription address or
status, or encounter problems getting mail to the list, you may also wish
to review the SERIALST Scope and Purpose statement
http://www.uvm.edu/~bmaclenn/serialst.html

Sections 4.0 and 4.1. re. Selected Command Options (4.0 -
http://www.uvm.edu/~bmaclenn/serialst.html#commands) and Problems with
your subscription (4.1 -
http://www.uvm.edu/~bmaclenn/serialst.html#cancel) offer information
about using the QUERY and/or REVIEW command for finding out if LISTSERV
will recognize your current subscription setting as valid.

During the test period, we are also experimenting with a variant editor
configuration.  All 4 moderators are currently working together to review
incoming mail.  The methods that we use to distribute incoming mail back
to SERIALST subscribers may cause some inconsistencies in the look and
feel of the mail you receive.

We ask you to please be patient as we work out the details of managing
SERIALST through these changing times.

Finally, I would like to thank the University of Vermont's LISTSERV
manager, John Ryder, and also SERIALST's co-moderators -- Marcia Tuttle
(Chapel Hill, NC), Ann Ercelawn (Vanderbilt University), Stephen Clark
(College of William & Mary) -- for their input, fortitude, and day-to-day
presence in working with me to maintain SERIALST.  What a great group of
folks to work with!

Best regards to all and happy week-end!

        Birdie MacLennan
        SERIALST Listowner/Moderator
        Coordinator, Serials & Cataloging
        University of Vermont
        bmaclenn@zoo.uvm.edu