My dear friends and subscribers to PASNYDER-L mailing list: I didn't think it would ever happen but it did. We've been spammed! And while I am in sympathy with the intent of the one who began the first spam message (proper documentation of genealogical sources), I do not feel that this message and its responses belong on this mailing list. The purpose of this mailing list is to exchange information and sources for Snyder County, Pennsylvania, genealogy and history. I have been blessed by your positive responses to the availability of this mailing list, and I want to keep our discussions tightly focused as there are a great diversity of mailing lists for nearly every issue facing the amateur and professional genealogist. In the case of this recent spam, the post would have been more appropriate for the GEN-METHOD-L mailing list owned by Dr. Brian Leverich, one of the brains behind the Rootsweb server, which brings you this mailing list and many others as well (along with free web space for county Coordinators for the USGenWeb project). In order to prevent further incidents of posting that are not germaine to the purpose of this list, I will by 15 April begin the process to close this list. That means if you want to post to the list, you must subscribe to it (as many of you already have). This list will not accept e-mail messages sent to it by someone who is not a member. If someone is a member and posts an off-purpose topic, I will be responsible for initiating dialogue with that poster to keep the messages on topic or be eliminated from the mailing list. This is not a free speech issue as there are many other venues with which the postings such as we have recently been deluged can be appropriately directed. As listowner I choose to keep our purpose clear and unswerving: to provide a place for people serious about exchanging information on the genealogy and history of Snyder County, Pennsylvania to share information and questions. I thank you all for your subscriptions and support. I welcome any responsible dialogue on this issue as you wish through my private e-mail address listed below. Grace and peace to all of you. Logan Garth Swanger listowner PASNYDER-L [email protected]