ARLIS-L: networked communication for art information professionals

Abstract

Electronic mail makes it possible to exchange ideas and texts, and to seek answers to problems or to reference queries, immediately and easily. BITNET, a network for e-mail communication between academic bodies, originated in the USA in 1981 and now links 49 countries. Within BITNET, a mail distribution service, LISTSERV, facilitates specialised networking including ARLIS-L, a network for art librarians initiated by ARLIS/NA and hosted by the University of Kentucky. ARLIS-L was launched in 1990 and currently connects some 650 subscribers in 14 countries, not all of whom are members of ARLIS/NA. Anyone with a modem, a phone line, a personal computer and an e-mail address can access ARLIS-L; for those affiliated with academic institutions, access to e-mail networks is likely to be already catered for and free of charge. Existing subscribers are very enthusiastic about the ARLIS-L service. [A complementary network, VRA-L, is in place for those specifically interested in visual collections. Editor.]