One of the things that bothers me about malacology is how we have
fragmented ourselves over the years. We had the American Malacological
Union (now the American Malacological Society) which served as an umbrella
organization for professional and amateur malacologists and various local
clubs. Over the years the American Malacological Union had groups split
off from it. The Pacific Divison of the American Malacological Union split
off and became the Western Society of Malacologists. Most of the amateurs
split off and became COA. Then there was the birth of the Freshwater
Mussle Conservation Society (FMCS). If we could bring everyone back to the
same venue, maybe we could take benefit of the economies of scale.

I will admit that I doubt that this will happen. AMS and WSM meet jointly
every few years when AMS has its meeting on the west coast. In 2012, AMS
and COA will be meeting back to back in Philadelphia. Hopefully, this will
stimulate future joint meetings.

It would be nice to have everyone meet all at once. However, there are
reasons why I don't think this will happen.

The FCMS tends to meet earlier in the year then AMS and WSM. This allows
for field work not to be interrupted in the summer for FMCS members. AMS
has a policy of not selling shells at its meeting. This creates some
problems in trying to coordinate meeting of these two organizations. While
AMS occassionally meets in the west coast, I can only remember the WSM
meeting on the east coast for the World Congress of Malacologists in
Washington, DC in 1998. Since their interest is primarily west coast
malacology it does not behoove them to meet elsewhere. The FMCS holds, I
believe, most of their meetings in the midwest. Not a place where most
amateurs would tend to go for a meeting: most are interested in marine
mollusks and it would be hard to set up an appropriate field trip:-)

While working on a date for the AMS meeting in 2011, I had to take into
account the times for at least 3 other scientific meetings, academic
schedules, and the time of low tides (for marine biologists). It was a
challenge to find a time which accommodated most schedules. The you have
to find the venue. It is quite a challenge.

While some of my fact may be a bit off, the bottom line is that our field
has become balkanized and it is working against us. Is there an easy
solution. No. However, maybe it would be good to have a meeting of
representatives of each organization to see if we could come together and
somehow meet jointly while still maintaining our individual identies.

Just some ramblings of the organizer of the American Malacological Society
meeting in 2011 (Pittsburgh, PA).

Regards,
Charlie
.................................................
Charlie Sturm
Research Associate - Section of Mollusks
Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Assistant Professor - Family Medicine
Fellow-American Academy of Family Practice
Fellow-Academy of Wilderness Medicine

> I am happy that Alice clarified the structure. I do not think many people
> understand the inner workings financially.
>  I do not know what the solution is. I don't claim to, but there are
> finer
> minds than mine out there, and maybe someone has the answer.
> I belong to the Gem and Mineral society and they charge $7 to get into
> their show. Same situation, dealers pay for the tables, people buy. True,
> it is
>  held in the same place and they have a returning clientele each year, but
> my  point is, people are willing to pay it and expect to pay it. I know
> that
> is not  a popular idea, but it is one solution.
>  How about the Paris show, and the other shows across the pond? Do  they
> charge admission?
>  As far as true shell shows, some charge admission and some do not.
> Broward Shell Club does not charge admission. I do not know how long we
> can keep
> that up though. Our venue has increased in cost to us while our revenue
> has
> not  kept up. Places, especially hotels are squeezing every dime out of it
> patrons to  make up for loss of travelers.
>  By supporting COA during a convention, I simply mean to register. COA  is
> so much. The programs, the people, the auction the field trips and yes the
> bourse. My main point was, if you do not register and support the COA,
> maybe
>  attend the auction, buy raffle tickets, purchase items at the silent
> auctions, and the regular auction as well as  attending the bourse, COA
> loses.
>  Just wanted to get people thinking.
>    Carole
>

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