How many Elves would be too many?

[Kirstini]

Annemehr:
>>I was just thinking about the same thing (an example of great minds
thinking alike, obviously).
I'm wondering if there's any feasible way of adding "Temp Elves"
during a really big surge like the one we had at the OoP release. 
 They could be kept on only until post volume drops back to a "normal"
level, and could be trained and used in only one certain aspect of
 list management, if that's possible.  For instance, they could each 
be assigned a block of time (e.g. midnight to noon on Mondays) to read
every message on the list and send "gentle reminders" to those who
stray too far from posting guidelines.>>

Speaking in my own capacity, although backed up with (two-month-old) 
Elfly knowledge:
We already do this. Every post on the list is read by the Elf 
on "reading duty" on the day it was posted. What this means is that 
we sign into the list on British time and have to read every post 
written in 24 GMT hours on our reading day. All problem posts are 
noted and flagged up on the Admin board, where a member of the Howler 
team casts a second eye over them and sends out stern admonishments 
to all de-moderated members whose posts contravene posting guidelines.
Every member of the Admin Team does reading duty, usually once a 
month.
I've recently become a Pendings Elf, and I've had a few responses 
back from frustrated new members saying things like "why on earth are 
you sending my post back to me when I saw a message on the list doing 
exactly the same thing?" Because so much of the Howlering goes on 
behind the scenes, I can see exactly why this might look unfair. I 
think it's important for all listees to know that we *do* put huge 
amounts of work in rooting out problem posts, and I'm fairly sure 
that Howlered posters very rarely re-offend. At least not in the same 
way <g>. Actually - for those of you expressing concern that no-one 
reads your posts - be assured that they have definitely been read by 
at least one List Elf...

I think Annemehr has made a very good point about the need for a pre-
PoA solution to flooding problems, and I wonder if we might be able 
to use the Temporary List Elf idea in some way. Much of the off-
topicity (it's my own term, and I like it a lot) will come from new 
members, though, and that's a job which can really only be handled by 
Moderators. Only Moderators are given the power to approve/reject 
pending messages from new members, and  Yahoo only allows 15 
moderators to a group (as was discovered when we new elves joined 
up). 

I do think it's important for borders to be created. Much of the post-
OoP frenzy was characterised by almost vigilante-like action on the 
part of "oldbie" non-elves (myself hugely and shamefully included) 
until that OTC Admin made us all re-examine our actions. We have to 
be prepared not only to deal with the huge amounts of OT posting that 
the PoA release will create, but also with the (even hugers) amounts 
of resentment which established members will feel at this perceived 
intrusion.

I'd like to conclude my ramblings by backing up something which 
Dicentra mentioned with a little story hewn from personal experience. 
Gather round, dearies. Are we sitting comfortably?
I'm in no way a member of the old crowd (or even The Old Crowd), and 
I don't even merit an Old Fart badge, but I'm very aware that since 
becoming a List Elf my own posting rate has dropped significantly. As 
a member, I'm still reading (just about) everything on the main list. 
I'm also thinking about the list (in general and specific posts) as 
an Admin rather than a member. I'm fairly sure that this is a mindset 
trick which I'll get out of eventually (women are supposed to be good 
at multi-tasking, right?)I may even see light at the end of the 
tunnel fairly soon - it's beginning to look that way.  But as 
Dicentra said, energy is definitely sapped. Or rather, after your 
energy has been redirected, it *feels* sapped. 

However, someone (Abigail?) on this list offered up an image of this 
group as an organic entity, and I think that that's spot on. The 
posters who can really brighten up my day now aren't the same as 
those who did when I first joined, and I think that's the sign of a 
healthy, non-elitist group. 

I don't know how it feels to be a particularly long-serving member, 
but I can empathise a little - it becomes a vicious circle. You don't 
post for a while, and the list moves on (relentlessly), and you begin 
to wonder how many people would know who you were if you *did* post. 
So you don't post some more. Or I didn't/don't, anyway.

I'm itching to get stuck into this latest TBay, though.
Kirstini. Not on behalf of or expressing the views of any Admin Team 
whatsoever. Teatowel not round waist, or any other part of body.