Hello Everyone, Just a few quick comments about Listserv versus Facbook. I hope we won't view it that way: as this versus that. Both are very useful communication tools and both have their pros and cons. In regard to the birding groups on Facebook - I don't they should be viewed as the Listserv killer. I know (and understand!) the reluctance on many to join Facebook with all of its invasive and time sucking qualities. I sort of have a love/hate thing with it; however, it's one redeeming quality is that it is an excellent tool for teaching and learning. It allows us to share information in more of a conversational style that can be very helpful for beginners. Some tips for using Facebook birding groups to find rare bird sightings. 1) Facebook groups have a [Search] tool. On Birding Ohio, we have established three ways for people to find rare bird posts. a. We encourage people to add the words "Rare Bird Alert" to the beginning of their posts so that users can search for those keywords to find those posts. b) We also set up a Rare Birds folder on the group page so people can check that, too. 3) People who posted the sighting (as well as other users) can simply "bump" the posts about rare birds to the top of the page to keep it in front of everyone. (Comments on Facebook groups get pushed down the page as new things are posted.) Sherrie Durris also set up an Ohio Rare Bird Alert Facebook group that states clearly that it will not allow discussion outside of rare bird sightings to avoid having information buried in other posts. I use Facebook and the Ohio Birds Listserv every day. I am very thankful to OOS for making the Listserv possible, as it was one of the first opportunities I had to interact with other birders in Ohio. It continues to be a wonderful resource for birding information and I don't see that changing anytime soon. At BSBO, we've been dissed by a few folks for not making electronic delivery of our publications the default method. But, we have a lot of Amish members and we should never lose sight of the fact that - <gasp> not everyone is on the computer every day, and a few still don't have a computer at all. My point is that we should make it as easy as possible and always cast information as far and as wide as we can so that we don't lose anyone. Kenn suggested that it would be a simple thing for a few of us to agree to cross-post rare bird sightings posted on Facebook to the Listserv, and I think that's a great idea. Let's use every tool we've got to keep people engaged and feeling happy about birds and birding. Don't worry! Be Happy! Go Birding! Kim Kaufman ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]