RDA-L Sympa Discussions Move to ALA Connect
The RDA-L is moving! By December 18th, we'll be fully migrating our discussions of RDA, RDA Toolkit and related topics from the current electronic discussion list platform (Sympa) to ALA Connect. This new platform will reliably support participation in discussions and simplify the management of discussion archives. The new Connect platform does allow non-ALA members to participate, without ever committing to ALA membership, but it also requires non-ALA members to create a new free account in ALA Connect. Account setup should only take a few minutes and will only require a single visit to the ALA connect website. Current ALA members already have accounts on ALA Connect and will automatically be transferred over to the new list.
What does this mean for me?
The conversations, meetings, rosters and resources will all be in a central online place. Information will be available and archived, allowing for improved continuity of discussions and research. Participants’ privacy will be better secured in this community, and they’ll be more recognizable thanks to pictures and profiles. The Sympa list will remain available for archival purposes, but will not allow future activity after December 18, 2020.
What do I do next?
- If you’re not an ALA member, register for a free Connect account here.
- Join the RDA-L group on Connect by clicking the Join button here.
We’ll host a live webinar on December 16th at 1pm CST (-6 UTC) for the RDA-L, covering key functions in Connect like how to forward emails to the Discussion or update notifications. Please register here to join us.
A recording of an earlier webinar is available here. A step-by-step guide to joining RDA-L on ALA Connect is here.
You are also welcome to check out our Help/FAQ page if you have any questions about how to use Connect. Specifically, some helpful resources might include:
- How to use Connect like an e-list
- Frequently asked questions about Connect profiles
- How to find the Connect groups you already belong to (VIDEO)
- How to reply to or post a new discussion in Connect
- What is the difference between Email Preferences, Community Notifications, and Communication Preferences?
What is ALA Connect?
ALA Connect is an online platform for discussion and collaboration. We’re working to make Connect the centralized space for colleagues to communicate online, whether they’re part of a formal ALA committee or just want to share questions and ideas with other library professionals.
If you have any questions about the migration to Connect, please feel free to email rdatoolkit@ala.org. We want to make sure this transition is as smooth as possible – and ALA staff are continually refining it as they repeat the process with other groups – so we’re happy to address any concerns or comments you might have.