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How to share a list of e-mail recipients - 3 methods

Distribution list

  • When all recipients are NIU Faculty/Staff and have GroupWise accounts.
  • When you do not know what NIU Faculty/Staff need to have access or when maintaining a list becomes too tedious to do on an individual level.

Shared personal address book group

  • When all users of the list (but not necessarily all recipients) are NIU Faculty/Staff (have Groupwise accounts).
  • When firm control is needed over who can see/access the list.
  • When the number or users who need to use the list is manageable for sharing.

Listserv

  • When users of the list are not just NIU Faculty/Staff (this includes NIU students).

Key differences between methods

  Distribution List Shared Personal Address Book Group Listservs
Creation Distribution List Right-click on an address book and choose Share Listserv
Availability Anyone with a GroupWise account. Users the creator shares the group with. Can be set to be moderated or unmoderated. An unmoderated Listserv will take input from any subscriber.
Visibility Visible to anyone with a GroupWise account. Can be hidden in the address book.  You can send to a hidden list. Being hidden just keeps it from appearing, not functioning. Visible only to those who have had the book shared with them.  Posted on the Listserv listing page (this can be hidden, if desired).
Modification Modified (add, edit, delete) only by users specified by the List Owner. The creator can choose the permissions (read, add, edit, delete) associated to a person they are sharing with. Modified only by users who have been given a password to modify it.
Portability Can only contain GroupWise accounts. Can contain non-GroupWise addresses. Have no relationship to GroupWise (or even NIU) in terms of the recipients or how they can be accessed.
Cost  Annual Fee Free Free