Email Channels

Decatur Makers has several email groups that serve different purposes. Below are the purposes behind the different channels with some good and bad examples of uses.

General Email Lists

Decatur Makers has two general email lists: decaturmakers and dm-members, both @googlegroups.com.

decaturmakers

This is our primary community discussion list. It is open to anyone (including non-members who are interested in making) and is the best place for general messages about making and STEAM education. It's a great place to ask questions, respond to requests, or just lurk and listen. Please keep in mind that hundreds of people will see your emails, so once conversation has progressed to an interaction between two people, the conversation should be taken private. For example, if someone lets the group know that they have a lawn mower they don’t need, it is polite to reply directly to that person rather than the entire community, especially if the conversation is at the point of coordinating pick up. Note: if you expect that your conversation will eventually go private, telling people where to email you increases the chances that they will email you directly instead of the whole group.

Good Examples for decaturmakers

“Does anyone know a good place to find exotic hardwoods?”

“I have an old dresser I don’t need, would anyone like it?”

“There’s a class over at the pottery store this Thursday that I thought someone might find useful.”

Bad Examples for decaturmakers

“Ok”

“I agree”

“I’m free from 4-5 pm today, when’s a good time to pick up your scrap wood?”

dm-members

This is our internal email communications platform restricted to members and core-committees (used for votes, internal space discussions, etc.). We try to keep usage of this group to the most important, membership-specific communication. This should be kept as a clear channel for management of the space to communicate to the members regarding the space.

Good Examples for dm-members

“The church is having an event from 7-9 pm, so please avoid parking at the space.”

“There is a member meeting this Wednesday where we’ll discuss a new storage policy, please attend if you would like to give your feedback.”

Bad Examples for dm-members

“Does anyone know a good place to find exotic hardwoods?”

“I have an old dresser I don’t need, would anyone like it?”