Please read the following correspondence (two letters) between Kurt Auffenberg
and myself. Perhaps they will clarify some things and put and end to this
thread.
In a message dated 98-04-22 12:16:36 EDT, Kurt Auffenberg wrote:
<<
Dear Doug,
Maybe it's the way I write, but I've been getting these apologies over and
over. I want to get this straight. I was not offended by the leg: thing
because no one but me knew what the situation called for at the time. If
people want to make observations, that's fine. I know what I did was right
for the situation at the time, I made the collection available, put in on
the Web and continued to upgrade the labels as time permitted. It was all
I could do and the satisfaction I got from accomplishing this was the only
reward I wanted. People have continually praised me for my work and this
is greatly appreciated, but I just did my job, which I enjoyed. People may
think that I am fragile, or over-sensitive or whatever, but there really
hasn't been anything said that was offensive. A few of you expressed your
confusion on our use of Leg:. I explained how it happened and why it
happened. I wasn't being overly sensitive or overly defensive, I just told
the truth. What perked people up were my comments on people's expectations
on labels in general and that I thought they were expecting too much due to
the tremendous backlogs and deadlines most of us face. All museums and
private collections have errors in labels, filing, etc. We are just humans.
With regards to the Alabama (and others) transfer, I only gave the history
of the transfer because no one else had given it and I was there. Although
it was indeed a coup for FLMNH, I certainly never felt guilty about the
decisions that were made at that time. It is well-cared for and has become
a tremendous asset to our research collections. It is unfortunate that the
situation in Alabama at that time caused such a difficult and far-reaching
decision to be made, but it did.
I guess this general feeling that apologies are in order comes from my
writing style which gets sort of passionate sometimes. I try to live in a
gray world, as opposed to black/white. Sometimes I don't come across that
way. I try to convey a reality check and this often comes across as
defensive and/or a different kind of black/white, if that makes any sense
whatsoever.
Please no more apologies. Nothing has really been said that I even
disagree with, much less be offeneded by, except a few of the museum
priority comments which I have already addressed ad nauseum. If you wish
to forward this to others or the list in general, go ahead. Rest assured.
I am not angry at anyone. Damn, now where did I put that Uzi......after
the last person complained about my labels.
XXX, Kurt
At 10:58 AM 4/22/98 EDT, Doug Shelton wrote:
>Kurt,
> I am really sorry if in our discussion regarding Leg. or the
>disposition of the former Univ. Alabama collection I offended you in any
way.
>That was certainly not my intent. I wish to make some statement to CONCH-L
to
>clarify my thoughts and make amends . I am passionate about the loss of the
>Alabama collection, but I am grateful FLMNH was there to receive it. Who
>knows what might have become of it otherwise? I would like to think it
would
>have been transferred to some other institution, but who knows? I am
grateful
>it is in Florida where I still have relatively easy access to it. I am also
>grateful it was in your care when it was transferred and accessioned. I
would
>appreciate any comments and/or advice prior to making a
correction/retraction
>to CONCH-L.
>
>Doug Shelton
>Alabama Malacological Research Center
>2370-G Hillcrest Road #236
>Mobile, AL 36695
>
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