Intro
Lyris is the name of the List Server software that UNC uses for its listserv service. A listserv is an email-based mailing list that uses one address to distribute mail to all members of a specified group. A list enables members to communicate with or reply to the whole group without typing a lengthy list of email addresses and without maintaining a large address book.
Information
What and where is the UNC list server?
The UNC List Server site can be accessed by visiting the ListManager. Mail can be sent to a list by addressing an email message To: listname@listserv.unc.edu. List commands, such as subscribe or review, may also be sent directly to the server for processing with an email to listmanager@listserv.unc.edu.
What is the UNC List Server Policy?
For more information on list server policy, see the help document List Server Practices.
Membership
How do I get my list passwords?
- Visit the ListManager.
- In the Visit or Manage a Single List section, choose to Visit a list to which you are currently subscribed and that requires a password to access.
- When prompted to do so, enter your listserv email address, and click OK.
- When prompted for a password, type a few random characters, to give an incorrect password, and click OK.
- On the next screen, you will be able to click an Email Password button. Upon clicking, you will be sent a link via email which will allow you to change your password for all of your subscriptions.
How do I contact the owner of a list?
- You can contact the owner of a listserv by sending e-mail in the format: owner-listname@listserv.unc.edu.
- For example if you want to contact the owner of a list named tarheels, you would compose a message to: owner-tarheels@listserv.unc.edu.
How do I subscribe to a list?
There are two ways to subscribe to a list:
Using the Lyris Web Pages
In a web browser go to the SelfService list manager page. Choose the utility Search for Lists under User Tools. If you already know the listname simply type the name in the Search field, and click the Search button. You will then have two options:
- You can submit a subscribe request to join the list (if the list is Closed, your request will be sent to the administrator. - OR -
- Visit the list. Some open lists you can enter without logging in, while others will require you to login as a member to view its content. Right now you need to join this list, so click the Subscribe button. You will be presented with the following fields on the next screen, if the list allows web subscriptions:
- Email address: this is required and must be a valid internet email address (all other options below are not required, unless set otherwise by the list owner)
- Your Name: this may be required on some lists
- Password: here you can set a personal password or if the listowner requires a password for new subscriptions you will need to enter it here
Click Save when you are finished. If the list is closed your request will be forwarded to the list owner for approval; if it is an open list you will be added to the list.
Joining a List using Email
You can also join a list by sending a message to the List Manager. For example, if Jane Doe wants to join an open list called UniversityNews, she would send subscribe UniversityNews as the body of her mail message to the email address for the List Server controlling the UniversityNews list, leaving the Subject: field blank. For example:
To: listmanager@listserv.unc.edu
From: jdoe@email.unc.edu
CC:
Subject:
——- Message Text ——–
subscribe UniversityNews
If the list is closed, the request will be forwarded to the list owner for approval. (The list server knows who you are when you submit the request because it extracts your address from the header of the email message containing your request. This prevents errors in entering your email address.)
How do I unsubscribe from a list?
There are two main ways to unsubscribe from a list. See below for details on each method:
Unsubscribing via email
To unsubscribe from a list, send an email to listserv@unc.edu with the unsubscribe command in the body of the message. For example, if you are subscribed to a mailing list called jazztalk, you could send the following email to the List Server:
unsubscribe jazztalk
If you were subscribed to jazztalk with a different email address than where you are currently mailing from, you could specify that email address in the unsubscribe command to the List Manager:
unsubscribe jazztalk youronyen@email.unc.edu
Unsubscribing via the Listserv subscriber web interface
To unsubscribe from a list, visit the ListManager and click the List Members link in the Log In box.
Login with your email address and list password.
Click the My Lists tab to get a list of all the lists to which you are subscribed.
Click the Unsubscribe link next to the list(s) from which you want to be unsubscribed.
Why can't I send a message to more than one list at the same time?
The Allow Cross-Posting option defaults to NO for all new lists, and this is why you received that error message. The fix for it is:
Visit the ListManager and login to your list.
Go to Utilities > List Settings > Discussion Group Features
Set Allow Cross-Posting to YES.
How can I consolidate my listserv logins and passwords?
Tired of having to re-login just to read or manage different lists on the web? Follow these steps to be able to access all of your lists via a single login:
Make sure that you are subscribed to all of your lists with the same email address.
Visit the ListManager and choose the option Reset Passwords.
Submit your email address here, and you will be e-mailed a link which will allow you to change your password for all list subscriptions matching the address that you entered.
How can I request my e-mail provider/ISP whitelist the UNC Listserver?
Here’s a sample whitelist request you can send to your e-mail provider:
Dear ISP:
Please whitelist the UNC Listserver (listserv.unc.edu) so I can receive messages from this domain. The IP address range that this domain sends mail from is 152.19.146.0/24.
Thank You, Your Customer
I have requested a whitelist of the UNC Listserver from my non-UNC e-mail provider and I am still not receiving listserver messages. What can I do?
The administrative staff for the UNC Listserver employs industry best practices to ensure maximum deliverability, including technologies like SPF, DKIM/DomainKeys signing, and fostering relations with remote mail providers. Some e-mail providers, however, will continue to aggressively block listserv traffic despite these efforts. If you have requested a whitelist from your ISP, your best option is to either subscribe to your listserv with your UNC email address, or a different alternate e-mail account.
How do I change my email address on a list?
To change your address on a single list, email the admin of that list. Use the address owner-[listname]@listserv.unc.edu where “listname” is the name of the list.
For example, if my address on the foobar list is wrong, I would send email to owner-foobar@listserv.unc.edu and ask that the owner update my address.
To change your email address on every list of which you’re a member, go to the ListManager. Click “List Members”. Enter your email address and password when prompted. After logging in, click the My Account tab. Change your email address, then click Save Changes.
How do I Determine ListServ Subscriptions?
You can obtain the lists to which you have subscribed by sending an email to the List Manager. Leave the subject line blank and type the word which in the message body.
IMPORTANT: When requesting information about your list memberships, please remember that your “From” address should match your list subscriber address. If you are subscribed under more than one account, such as a full UNC onyen address or alias, make sure that you send a message from each address.
Web Interface
What is the Listserv Web Interface?
The Listserv Web Interface allows list subscribers to interact with mailing lists through the Web interface instead of by e-mail.
By going to the ListManager, you may:
- Learn about lists available on the server
- Log in and view your subscribed lists
- Subscribe and unsubscribe from lists
- Read archived messages
- Search the message archives
- Manage your membership settings
- Find out more about a list
How do I login to the Listserv Subscriber Web Interface?
You may access the Listserv Subscriber Web Interface by going to the ListManager and choosing List Members under Log In.
Why can't I login with a blank password to the Listserv Subscriber Web Interface for a list that I am subscribed to?
For security reasons, logging in with a blank password has been disabled. If you login to a list that you do have a password for, you will have access to your settings for that list plus all of the other lists that you are subscribed to with a blank password.
To modify your password so that it is no longer blank, you can do one of the following:
- Login to a list for which you already have a password, click My Lists, choose a list, click the My Account tab, then the Advanced tab. Enter a new password, and click OK.
- If you do not have a password on any of the lists you are subscribed to, visit the ListManager, and choose Password Management. Use the Reset My Passwords option, to have your password(s) reset. Make sure that you enter in the email address that you are subscribed to the list with.
If you want to change your newly reset passwords to something more familiar to you, login to the members interface at the ListManager, choose My Account > Advanced, enter a new password, make sure that is set to ‘My Account’ changes apply to my other subscriptions on this server, and click Save Changes.
How do I create a new message thread in the Listserv Web Interface?
A new message will be a new message thread in the Listserver Web interface. All replies to your message will be grouped under your initial message as a message thread discussion list.
Select a list from My lists or All lists.
Click on the Messages tab. Depending on the list’s settings, you may be prompted to log in.
Click on Create New Message. Depending on the list’s settings, you may be prompted to log in.
Enter your email address (if prompted), the Subject and Message Body of the message you’d like sent to the list.
Click OK to send the message, or Cancel to abort it.
Depending on the list’s settings, your message may be sent immediately or may need to be approved. Approved messages will appear on the list’s Messages tab.
How do I reply to a message in the Listserv Web Interface?
A reply to a message will be threaded beneath the message replied to.
Select a message from Messages.
Click on Reply beneath the message you would like to reply to. Depending on the list’s settings, you may be prompted to log in.
Enter your email address (if prompted), the Subject and Message Body of the message you’d like to be sent to the list.
Click OK to send the message, or Cancel to abort it.
Depending on the list’s settings, your message may be sent immediately or may need to be approved. Approved messages will appear on the list’s Messages tab.
How do I search for postings in the Listserv Web Interface?
Some lists may allow you to search their message archives. The basic search allows you to look for particular words used in a message. The advanced search allows you to specify the location of the words (in the message header, subject or body) or to exclude words.
BASIC SEARCH
Select a list, either in My Lists or All Lists.
Select the Search tab.
If the list allows searching of its archives, you will be taken to the Search page.
Enter the word(s) you’d like to search for. You may separate words with a space or comma.
Select Search. If your search is successful, the next page will show you the results.
ADVANCED SEARCH
- Select a list, either in My Lists or All Lists.
- Select the Search tab.
- If the list allows searching of its archives, you will be taken to the Search page.
- Select Advanced Search.
- Enter the word(s) you’d like to search for. You may separate words with a space or comma.
- Entire Message: anywhere in the message.
- Body: In the message body (below the subject line).
- Header: In the message header (includes information about the sender, the subject, etc.).
6. Select whether you want messages with any or all of the words you’ve selected.
7. (Optional) Enter the word(s) you’d like to exclude. Messages that contain these words will not be included in your search results.
- Entire Message: anywhere in the message.
- Body: In the message body (below the subject line).
- Header: In the message header (includes information about the sender, the subject, etc.).
8. Select Search. If your search is successful, the next page will show you the results
How do I subscribe to a list I see in the Listserv Web Interface?
To subscribe to a list you see in the Listserv Web Interface, simply click on the subscribe button to the right side of that list’s entry. From there you will be prompted for your e-mail address, and other optional information. Note that some lists require admin approval for new membership requests or have other security settings, so your subscription request may not be processed immediately.
Why do I have to login into the Listserv Subscriber Interface to read posts?
Many lists are restricted so that subscribers must log in in order to view messages. Others may also require that you log in in order to post a message to the list. If this is the case, you will be prompted to provide your email address and password.
If you are a member of several lists on the server with different email addresses or passwords, the lists you have access to will depend on the email address/password combination you provide. If you do not have a password for some lists, but you have one for others, you will need to provide your password to access any of your lists, even those for which you do not have a password.
Lyris has changed the way that users login to lists, making a greater distinction between list subscribers and list administrators, by providing separate interfaces for the two. This scheme provides admins with the ability to read, reply, or create new message threads just as normal members do, giving them the option to only access all of the administration tools when it is necessary to perform maintenance or access administration-level monitoring tools.
Other
Is there a quota on email attachments?
Yes. Messages to the listserv greater than 5 megabytes will be rejected. This limit includes both the size of the body of the message, plus attachments. For example, if you sent a message with a 4.5 megabyte attachment to the listserv, and the body of the message was greater than 0.5 megabytes (500K), the message would be rejected. The rejected message will be returned to the sender and will include the following error message:
(reason: 552 5.2.3 Message size exceeds fixed maximum message size (5000000))
Why am I not receiving UNC listserver email to my non-UNC e-mail account?
The answer to this question is typically related to a remote e-mail provider blacklisting the UNC Listserver. After you have verified that you are subscribed to your list with a valid email address, and that your subscription is not on hold, one strategy for helping ensure that mail from the UNC Listserver is delivered to your non-UNC e-mail account is to request that they whitelist the listserver.