ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on strategies and tips for engaging in online communities that already exist. For new academics and higher education professionals, online communities are a great source for building relationships with colleagues across disciplines and all over the world. Frequent contributors to online communities can become influencers in their field or discipline. Online communities, although serious about engaging with their interest in a topic or issue, are also about having fun. Colleagues will often share jokes, memes, and funny stories about their professional lives in ways that create stronger bonds within the group and bring some levity to the discussions at hand. Listservs are e-mail groups where people often post questions, share resources, and provide information about situations like job opportunities within a field or discipline. Many academic and disciplinary associations have a strong web presence, including a website, social media accounts, and an e-mail listserv.
