Fee for External Users....

[Timothy Lowrey]

We have a museum policy at UNM that loans are made to researchers at
established, scientifically recognized institutions. The institutions must
meet minimum standards for security, storage environment, and handling.
Generally this means loans only to herbaria listed in Index Herbariorum.
We have numerous visitors from companies and agencies that use our
collections but we have not been asked for loans of the specimens. If this
changes in the future I would seriously consider a two-tiered system for
fees assuming they can demonstrate that the specimens will be properly
housed and curated.

The situation communicated to us by Diana Horton is worrisome. Natural
history museums have enough trouble as it is without having to worry about
paying and collecting loan fees.  Providing loans is one of our main
reasons for existence.
I do not agree that providing loans should be lumped into the same category
as providing identifications. I do agree that users should be charged for
getting expert identification of specimens.
  We are all constantly fighting for money to operate but this avenue of
charging for postage is not the one to start traveling down.

______________________________________________________________________________
Timothy K. Lowrey
Department of Biology
University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131 U.S.A.
Telephone: (505)277-2604
Fax: (505)277-0304
E-mail: TLOWREY at UNM.EDU