Cost recovery and the support of Systematics

[Mary Barkworth]

I think that, for what is being provided, $95 as the cost to libraries and
non-members is very reasonable. I agree that one will never recoup the cost
of developing the knowledge that is necessary to develop a CD of the kind
that is being described, but I can see recovering somewhat more from sales
than the cost of producing the CD.  Maybe I am an optimist.  But if any
society does benefit in this manner, then I would hope that they would see
the surplus would be used to promote further research in the area.  I was
told last summer than the various agronomy societies make money by
publishing some references that everyone (well, almost everyone) in the
field needs. I think that there is a potential here, if only we had the
time to explore it.
Mary Barkworth, Intermountain Herbarium
Department of Biology, Utah State University,
Logan, Utah 84322-5305
Voice: 435-797-1584 FAX: 435-797-1575
Http://www.biology.usu.edu/herbarium/