In accordance with the present set-up of park administration, it seems impossible for the park to keep the receipts to itself. To avoid losing this income which can be so well used by the naturalist service, it may be possible to organize an association which is independent of the Park Service, but possibly managed by the park naturalist. This association could print the write-ups and sell them and make the receipts available to the park. This procedure seems entirely ethical in view of the fact that suitable private publications can be sold within the parks.
There seems to be a common opinion among the park naturalists that publications should be sold as a means of obtaining money, which is generally used in obtaining books and making additions to the museum. If a library and a museum are accepted by the National Park Service as necessary to complete the educational work, why should it be necessary for the naturalist to obtain money from private sources? It is usually necessary that museum exhibits come from a private source and books are often presented by individuals or outside organizations, but these contributions do not entail any monetary outlay except in their preparation. We have gone on record for the preparation of a resolution requesting a budget for naturalist work in each park. If real effort is made to put this budget through, there will be no need of private support, hence no need of sales of publications in the parks as a source of income. If a naturalist must apply thought and energy to sales effort in order to raise money to carry on the work of his department, he cannot accomplish the maximum result from his efforts toward educational ends.
Other governmental departments submit a great deal of written material concerning the work of those departments but this material is printed by the Government Printing Office and distributed by the Superintendent of Documents. The departments preparing these write-ups could no doubt use the money from their sale but they are apparently glad to contribute their efforts toward the good which may be done through them. It seems that as long as our work is educational, we would be working along much higher principles if we prepared publications for the good they would do rather than the money they would bring to us. Eventually we shall receive adequate funds from the government to carry on our work, so that it may be to our advantage to expend our efforts in hastening that eventuality rather than trying to raise money on our own account.
The most important thing to be considered from the sale of literature in each park lies in the field of the methods used. A real service can be rendered to the public if sale publications are properly presented — and a very real damage can be done to the reputation of the Park Service if this work is mishandled.
The question was raised as to whether or not it would be possible to have a “book fund” deposited with the National Park Service under the heading “Contributions”, which could be accepted by the park and disposed of for the purchase of books or for some other equally worth-while objective.
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