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Northern Illinois University

Information Technology Services

How to Share a List of E-Mail Recipients

Listed below are three methods and when to use which option, they all contain a centralized and shared list of recipients for mailings. 

Distribution List

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

Listserv

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

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.

Key Differences between Methods

  Distribution List Shared Personal Address Book Group Listservs
Creation GroupWise Administrators. Users. ITS with no direct relationship to GroupWise .
Availability Any user with access to GroupWise address book. 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 Can be hidden in the address book or from users not based in the same post office. You can send to a hidden list. Being hidden just keeps it from appearing, not functioning. Visible only to those that have had the book shared with them.  Posted on the Listserv listing page (this can be hidden, if desired).
Modification Can be used by anyone who can see them in the GroupWise address book. Only edited (add, edit, delete) by users specified by a system administrator. 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 they contain or how they can be accessed.
Cost  Annual Fee. Free. Free.