Fw: [coleoptera] Raw's private collection note

[Vr. Richard Bejsak-Colloredo-Mansfeld]

----- Original Message -----
From: <taurus1672 at webtv.net>

To All,
     "Why would anyone encourage private collection?"  This is a very
dangerous sentiment by a professional in an institution.  This is a
borderline discriminatory statement I do not like to see professionals
in any biological or botanical fields think or say.  Shutting out any
private collectors from making contributions towards a better
understanding of the world of  entomology or botany is a travesty.  I
think whoever have these types of negative views about private
collectors should re-evaluate their own logic.  Private collectors are a
resource professionals should tap into.
     Some professionals welcome a chance to view and evaluate a private
collection containing invaluable biological and distributional
information relevant to their work.
In fact; I am preparing a part of my private collection of eucnemid
beetles to go on loan to a professional working on this group in
Finland.  I am doing my part to contribute my findings I have in my
collection for Dr. Muona to evaluate. I am going to write papers for
publications and putting together a website on eucnemid beetles in the
future.  This is the contribution of a private collector; working hard
to get this done without any reliance on government grants funded
through the taxes we pay.  I don't believe in using tax payers' money to
work on a group of beetles, people hardly know about.
   Professionals should in fact rely more on private collections to
supplement their studies
on any group.  But, I feel individuals are not as willing to open their
collections in fear they'll never see their specimens again.  That is a
chance individuals AND institutions have to take every time a loan is
processed and sent out.  Individuals have the rights to collect,
maintain their collections and contribute to any field of science.  No
institutions have the rights to take that liberties away from us.

Cheers,

Robert L. Otto


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