If you used public contacts in a previous version of Ipswitch Web Messaging, the public contacts can only be created by an IMail Administrator. Information within a public contacts is usually maintained and can only be updated by your IMail Administrator. Ipswitch Web Messaging public contacts are read from the data in the config_CommonAddrBook.cgi file.
IMail Collaboration if enabled on your IMail Server, can also display Public Contact folders. Public Contact folders will be read only, unless administrative rights have been given to your user name.