What is a distribution list?

A distribution list, also known as a mailing list, is a collection of email addresses. You can use a distribution list to send an email message to multiple people at one time. The list can contain a few addresses, or many.

All email systems at Indiana University provide ways to create, manage, and send to distribution lists. For example, you may use Exchange mailing lists to send mail to a group of people; see How do I send an email message to a group of people? Note that the commands, options, and capacities vary on each system. Furthermore, lists housed on specific systems are unavailable for shared use on other systems.

LISTSERV is a system-independent distribution list management system available to all email systems at IU. That is, you can use LISTSERV to create a distribution list and configure it so that others can send messages to your list, regardless of which email systems they use. See LISTSERV and other mailing lists.