Guidelines & Overview of NPRC’s Listserv

• The NPRC listserv is an unmoderated list. That means that all messages are automatically forwarded to everyone on the list without any intervention on our part. On most occasions, your message will appear within seconds once you hit the send key.
  
  
• The list, although unmoderated, is not anonymous. subscribers are expected to sign every message with their real name, company name, and city and state in the signature line of their email. It is acceptable to use a nickname, but please provide a signature with full contact info below your nickname.
  
  
• When a new member joins the list, we will contact you to request your complete information about who they
  are - full name, name of printing firm, address, city, state, phone). We do this so that we can verify that all members are real printers, mailing firms or sign companies. 
  
  
• NPRC reserves the right to remove anyone who, in its sole discretion, abuses the list. The consequences for abusing the list are as follows:

1^st offense, a one week suspension from the list

2^nd offense, a one month suspension from the list

3^rd offense, immediate and indefinite removal from the list

• Only subscribers may post to the list, and only from the exact email address with which they subscribed. Posts will bounce if you try to send a message to the list from another email address.
  
  
• We ask all new members to briefly introduce themselves to the list, including your name, location and company name.
  
  

Good Manners, Respect, and Civility

• Keep your audience in mind when you are messaging the entire list. If your response would be better directed to a single individual, then please do so by sending as a private message and not the entire list. 
  
  
• Flaming, personal attacks, or cyber-bullying will not be tolerated. Please avoid verbal hostility. In addition, judgmental and condescending tones are discouraged. If you disagree with someone and cannot be civil in your response, it is probably best not to say anything at all.
  
  
• Nonetheless, healthy debate and opposing points of view are acceptable and encouraged, but keep the discussion issue-oriented instead of personality-oriented. All subscribers are expected to conduct themselves as professionally.
  
  
• Please avoid discussions about politics and religion as these issues tend to be very disruptive and polarizing. These types of discussions frequently deteriorate into flaming and/or personal attacks. Many list members find this offensive and sometimes will unsubscribe, consequently defeating the primary purpose of the listserv as a site for sharing and posting of helpful ideas and comments.  We will not allow the list to deteriorate into an online brawl.
  
  
• Foul language is prohibited. PERIOD! If you must, we suggest using #@%&*! can get the point across. Abbreviations such as s**t, f**k, g*d d**m are never allowed in the subject line of messages, and you will be removed by the list manager if you post to the list in such a manner.
  
  

Courtesies

• When replying to a message, please clip your message leaving the part you are replying to (a quote, paraphrase, or summary) so others may understand to what you are replying. If you quote the original message, retain only what is pertinent and edit the text to the minimum necessary to convey the original idea. Edit and summarize as necessary. Use an ellipsis (…) or to indicate the removal of body text. Include the original poster’s name and/or email address when possible.
  
  
• Please be advised that It is never appropriate to take a private email you received and post it to the list without their expressed permission. Nor should list messages be forwarded, printed, or otherwise shared with others without the expressed permission of the original poster(s). Not only is it unethical, but it’s also a copyright violation. Don’t do it.
  
  

Sharing comments made on the list with vendors or outsiders

• The confidentiality between members of the NPRC list is of paramount importance. When a list member posts a comment, they do so with the assumption that it will only be read and shared with other list members. In a real sense, you could say the NPRC list is an online discussion among “friends.”
  
  
• List members’ comments are intended to be part of that friendly banter and discussion. Please do not forward comments made on the list to outsiders.
  
  

Lurking guidelines for printers, mailing firms and sign companies

• Lurking is the term used to describe a firm that joins the NPRC Listserv list, but rarely or never participates in the discussions. If you would prefer just to read posts rather than post yourself that is perfectly fine to do so.
  
  
• While Lurkers are indeed welcome, we encourage lurkers to join the conversations from time to time. Nonetheless, there is formal obligation to do so.

• Lurkers, as well as all members of the listserv, are strongly urged to participate in occasional surveys and polls conducted by the listserv.