The BC Food Systems Network’s listserv posting policy (download as PDF)

This policy is intended to help the subscribers to the various listservs of the BC Food Systems Network. The fundamental value of our listservs is respect for those involved. We hope this will be manifested in the following ways:

  • If something is worth forwarding to your fellow subscribers, it is also worth taking the time to edit the subject line and include an introductory or explanatory note on why it is relevant to Food Systems work (or if the message is being forwarded to one of our topical or regional listservs, then an explanation of why it is important to the subscribers of that specialized listserv).
  • Most people are drowning in emails so be thoughtful about what you pass along. Information overload is not our goal.

The details

  1. Stay on focus. The focus of our listservs is on food systems, broadly interpreted. Policy, peak oil, climate change, and other topics may well be relevant to food systems; however, please support and respect the central focus, however broadly you may interpret that framework. If you want to send a message which is tangential to the main focus of the listserv, please make it clear why you think it is worth sending to your fellow subscribers.
  2. Don’t flood the list. We ask you, if you post regularly, to please limit your postings to no more than once or twice a week. This guideline does not apply to discussions or other exchanges.
  3. Keep private conversations private. Please respond to requests for information by replying directly to the person posting, and not to the entire list. In return, we ask the person making the request to post compiled responses on a one-time basis back to the entire list (assuming the responses are worthwhile); otherwise forward them directly to subscribers who request them off-list.
  4. Avoid duplication. If you post news articles, reports, or other documents, please check carefully to be sure that no one else has already posted that item. If you subscribe using the daily digest format, you should not be posting recently issued content from other sources, as you cannot easily monitor recent postings from others.
  5. Be clear and concise. Your postings should be as clear as possible about the contents (e.g., an article, an event, the topic being addressed) in the subject heading of your email.
  6. Specify the location. When you send a message about an events or a job, always include the location (city and province). Make sure it is relevant to a reasonable number of subscribers to the list.
  7. Please avoid large messages and/or attachments (nothing over 400kb). Many rural subscribers still use dial-up. If you have something larger you want to share, please send a link to where it can be downloaded or viewed. If the object is not already online, there are many options for uploading your file. box.net is one such free service which works well. Ask your list admin if you need help.

The Fine Print

If you repeatedly violate these guidelines, we shall notify you and ask you to adhere to these guidelines. If the problem continues, and especially if other subscribers complain, we may terminate your subscription.