Resource Sharing

Mailing Lists

Colorado State Library’s Network & Resource Sharing unit hosts numerous mailing lists for the Colorado library community, and can create new lists for eligible libraries and library-related organizations. Learn more about how to start using mailing lists: Mailing Lists 101.

Mailing Lists

The following mailing lists are hosted by the Colorado State Library, unless otherwise noted:

  • CALC – Colorado Authors & Libraries Connect. The place for authors and library staff throughout Colorado to build community and share news, information, speaker opportunities, and to facilitate connections between book clubs and writers.
  • CAL-IFC – Colorado Association of Libraries Intellectual Freedom Committee
  • CAL-Legislative – Colorado Association of Libraries Legislative Committee. A mailing list for both members of the CAL Legislative Committee and anyone who is interested in Colorado Library legislative issues.
  • CAL LGBTQ+ – Colorado Association of Libraries interest group dedicated to providing direction and support to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, asexual, intersex, and other queer library and information professionals, as well as our allies within Colorado’s libraries. QIG also seeks to identify, create, and promote LGBTQIA+ library programs, services, and materials for all library users.
  • CAL-Makers – Colorado Association of Libraries Makerspace Interest Group
  • CASL Community – Yahoo group for the Colorado Association of School Libraries
  • CheckOutColorado – Information about the partnership between Colorado State Parks and the Colorado State Library
  • chr – Colorado Cultural and Historic Resources Task Force. Disaster planning and response for cultural heritage institutions
  • CLEL – Colorado Librarians for Early Literacy
  • CoALA-l – Colorado Academic Library Association
  • Cola2d – (Colorado Analog to Digital) is a mailing list for library and archive staff in Colorado who convert, or offer patron services that convert, analog media to digital in the state of Colorado. A place to share ideas, ask questions, and talk shop.
  • CoCivicEngage – Discussion list for civic engagement in Colorado libraries, including programming ideas, resources, skills, and tools for coordinating local dialogue and deliberation.
  • COLibDev – Discussion list for library development officers in Colorado libraries, including topics such as fundraising, grants, donors, and volunteer management.
  • ColASL – Colorado Association of Special Libraries
  • COLibMarketers – Colorado Library Marketers is a mailing list for Colorado library marketing/communications professionals and librarians involved in marketing.
  • CoProLib – Colorado library public program coordinators
  • CORR – Colorado Reentry Resources, an interest group focused on bridging the gap between prison and public libraries in order to better facilitate the successful transition of returning citizens.
  • CEA Forums – Special Interest Groups (SIGs) – Correctional Education Association’s forums on libraries and other topics
  • CVL Collections – CVL Collections Users Group
  • CYAAL – Colorado Young Adult Advocates in Libraries
  • CYS-Lib – Colorado Youth Services Network
  • DUG – Colorado Public Library Data Users Group
  • IT-Share –  Technical knowledge for Colorado libraries and cultural heritage organizations
  • Libnet – All things library in Colorado
  • PPC – Plains to Peaks Interest Group
  • PL-EVAL – Public Library Research & Evaluation
  • PRISON-L – This listserv is intended to help anyone who serves the underserved in correctional settings (prison, jail, detention centers, state mental health institutions, juvenile facilities) or justice-involved individuals (those in halfway houses, community corrections, sober living, transitional housing, on parole, or the formerly incarcerated).
  • PUBLIB – International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions forum for public librarians and those interested in public libraries
  • pubyac (site under construction) – Youth librarianship focus, hosted by the Center for Children’s Books and affiliated with the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • ResortCircShare – Resort Libraries Circulation Supervisors is a list for sharing ideas, collaborating, commiserating, and asking “do you do this” type questions. Anyone supervising frontline services for resort or seasonal libraries are welcome.
  • RMOIG – Rocky Mountain Outreach Interest Group
  • SchoolLibraryHotline – Colorado school library discussion list
  • SCoAL – Southern Colorado Academic Libraries
  • S2OHA – Square States Oral History Association

For additional information, contact Dave Hodgins at sysadmin@coloradovirtuallibrary.org.

CO Mailing Lists Etiquette and Use Guidelines

Colorado State Library hosted mailing lists are places to ask for advice, share resources, and engage in relevant library-related discussion. Diversity of opinion is encouraged, but inflammatory language, political campaigning, and explicitly partisan messages are not allowed and subject to moderation.

  • Discussion – Messages should ask/answer questions or share information about issues of interest to the Colorado library community.
  • Focus – Each list has its own purpose. Postings should be relevant to the list they are being posted to. Try to avoid cross-posting when possible.
  • Clarity – Make sure your post has a relevant and descriptive subject line. Posts without subject lines are often flagged as spam by receiving mail servers.
  • Contact Info – Postings should include your contact information, including name and institution if applicable.
  • Disagreements – You might disagree with someone’s comments. Please remember to criticize ideas not people.
  • Kindness – We all make mistakes. Respond privately if you see others making mistakes or missteps on the listserv.
  • Efficiency – Be mindful of whether your reply needs to go to the entire list. Short responses that don’t add to the overall discussion (Example: I agree! I’ll take it! Thanks!) can be sent directly to the original poster. Use Reply to send to the poster, and Reply All to send to the entire list.
  • Advertisements – Please respect your mailing list community by not posting advertisements for commercial products or services.
  • Job Postings – Sharing of library job postings is permitted. However, sharing a job posting on a Listserv does not mean that it will be added to the Colorado State Library’s jobs page. To be added to the State Library’s jobs page the position must be submitted to Library Jobline.
  • Giveaways – When posting giveaways or freebies:
    • Start your subject line with GIVEAWAY.
    • Condense your giveaway info into a single email.
  • Images and Attachments – When possible, refrain from posting images and other attachments. Some mailing lists—most notably Libnet—will remove all attachments except images.
    • If you must post an image, resize it as small as possible to prevent needlessly filling up inboxes.
    • Tip: Instead of including an attachment, try linking to a web version of the document instead.
  • Misconduct – Messages including defamatory, abusive, threatening, or illegal materials or language are strictly prohibited. Posters of messages that are entirely out of scope of the purpose of a given list may be contacted by CSL staff and asked to desist. Failure to comply may result in removal from the list.
  • Complaints – Complaints about alleged Etiquette and Use Guidelines violations can be sent to the Colorado Virtual Library staff via the online form.

Note: The Colorado State Library reserves the right to suspend or terminate membership for subscribers who violate the Etiquette and Use Guidelines.

New Lists

To inquire about creating a new mailing list, please fill out the form below. The State Library’s Chief Technology Manager will contact you for additional information.