Welcome to the new mailing list service. The go live is now scheduled for 10th December 2024 (was 28th August). Lists on the existing mailing list service will continue to work. Existing lists will be moved over to this new service in due course. List owners will be contacted prior to the move of the mailing list to the new service to agree a suitable time.
Please note the new service has a new domain. So an email address on the service will be in the form listname@qmlists.qmul.ac.uk
The mailing list service provided by IT Services enables the creation and management of central email discussion and distribution lists. Central mailing lists have the advantage over personal lists that any member of a list (or indeed anyone with an email account, depending on the configuration of the list) can post messages for distribution to the list's subscribers. If you are a member of the college it is likely that you are already subscribed to some college-wide lists.
To use the mailing list service you must login to Sympa using the QMUL SSO.
On-line help is available on all aspects of using Sympa via the Help link in the top right corner of the page.
To set up your own mailing list, click on the Apply for list link in the top right hand corner of the page, then fill in the online form carefully. Your application will be reviewed by IT Services.
Mailing lists can generally be used in two ways; to stimulate and encourage discussion or to disseminate information. It is as well to be aware of the pros and cons each way of operation before applying.
Mailing lists are extremely useful in disseminating information to interested parties and those likely to be affected by change as well as providing feedback to those effecting the change. In this case, replies will need to go to the originator of the list and not to the whole list. A pitfall to be aware of is, for example, acknowledgements of receipt of information being circulated to the whole list rather than just the originator. This could cause a subscriber to receive replies from all of the subscribers to the list and several complaints!
There are also great benefits in using a distribution list for generating discussion amongst several subscribers with mutual interests. In this case the discussion should be seen by the entire mailing list because of the potential benefits to the whole list and also of course to enable other subscribers to join in the discussion.
So, if you want to disseminate information you should arrange for replies go just to the originator of the message. If the need is to stimulate discussion then replies should go to the whole list.
Mail can be sent to a mailing list using a standard email client, by addressing
the message to listname@qmlists.qmul.ac.uk. For example, to send to the
Course Organisers mailing list, email should be sent to course-organisers@qmlists.qmul.ac.uk.