Technology

Configuring Subscription Settings for a Listserv

Last modified 11/22/2024

Listserv subscription settings determine whether or not people can subscribe themselves or if membership is required to be granted by a listserv owner.

Important

All Listserv subscription settings, by default, are set to By Owner. This means that all subscription requests are sent to the owner(s) for approval. This setting is strongly recommended by the University to help reduce the amount of spam received and improve the University's overall email security. 

Before You Begin

As a listserv owner, you can log in to the Listserv Management website at https://listserv.ilstu.edu/ and change your listserv’s subscription settings. You can also add and remove subscribers on your listservs.

 

Listserv Subscription Settings

Your listserv’s subscription settings determine whether or not people can subscribe themselves to your listserv. There are three options:

  • Open: Subscription requests are automatically accepted.
  • By Owner: Subscription requests are sent to the owner(s) for approval.
  • Closed: Subscription requests are rejected. Only the owner can add new members.

Regardless of the subscription settings you choose, listserv owners can always add and remove members.

Configure Subscriber Settings for a Listserv

 To configure your listserv’s subscription settings, use the following steps:

  1. Log in to Listserv Management at https://listserv.ilstu.edu/.
  2. Expand the List Management tab.
  3. Click on List Configuration.
  4. Once a list is selected from the first field, scroll down to view the List Header Details. You can either manually edit, or edit with the Wizard by clicking the related button above the current header.
    • The "Subscription=" attribute will need to be modified to reflect either Open, by Owner, or Close.
  5. Click the Subscription tab.
  6. Locate the field labeled "Subscription=".
  7. Click the dropdown menu and choose one of the options: “Open, By Owner, or Closed.”
    • Choose Open if you want allow people to subscribe to your listserv on their own.
    • Choose By Owner if you want to allow people to subscribe to your listserv on their own, but you also want to approve new subscribers before they are added to your listserv.
    • Choose Closed if you only want listserv owners like yourself to be able to add new members to the listserv.
    • We recommend leaving the Confirm box unchecked. The Confirm option requires subscribers to confirm their email address by replying to a listserv email with “OK” before membership is granted.
  8. Click Save.


How to Get Help

Technical assistance is available through the Illinois State University Technology Support Center at:

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