What tips and techniques should I know about maintaining an accurate list, correcting or purging bounces, etc?

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One helpful technique organizations use during their Email Signup is the "double opt-in" method, where users request to be added to your list and then receive an email with a confirmation link that they must click before being officially added to your list. This allows you to verify the validity of an email address and therefore cuts down on spam complaints and email bounces, but it will probably limit your list growth. However, it also strengthens your trust-relationship and helps maintain your list by ensuring that people who subscribe to your list really want to receive your emails. Check out Aspiration's slidedeck on Email Signup Best Practices for more information.
If you use an Email Blasting Service, this will automatomatically correct/purge bounces. They can also let you know any duplicate emails you may have in your system and keep you off of SPAM lists. Most have an option to download and export emails that have bounced or out-of-date email addresses so that you can look into this information more effectively. For examples, check out this list of Popular Bulk Email Tools on Social Source Commons
Always have a place on your website where you are collecting email addresses so that your list is kept up-to-date.
Segmenting your email list, which can easily be done using any of the email blasting tools listed in the SSC Toolbox on Social Source Commons mentioned above, is another email best practice. Segmenting your list allows you to send distinct messages to different audiences and to vary the frequency of messaging to different audiences. You may choose to segment a list based on program interest, geography, demographic, online activity, etc. Check out the related Answr Do the current tools available allow for customizing of newsletters by desired content and by geographic region? for more on this.