to the real world of scientific journals.

It used to be that the only way you could get a hold of a journal if you were not a subscriber was to go down to the library and read it. If your library didn't have it, you could request a inter-library loan and read it in a couple of weeks. Or, you could send a letter to the author and request a reprint copy. These are copies that the journal publisher would provide to the authors for limited, professional distribution. We had pre-printed postcard request forms for this puropse. Then you'd wait.

Then, we had photocopiers, and it was good. Five cents a page and ten minutes of mechanical labor and you could head back to the dorm, crack a beer, sit, read, and highlight to your heart's content.

Now we have the internet and pdf's. And it is better. Way better.

But still, good quality scientific articles cost money, and they should. No free lunch, right? I belong to several professional organizations that produce journals containing peer-reviewed articles. In order to keep current, attend conferences, promote science and geology research, I'm happy to fork out the several hundred dollars a year this requires.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm an information vampire. If I can get my hands on some book, article, map, or report online, that just makes the hunt easier. Google books has been an especially great place to hunt for really old info on mining in the west.

But that's what it is, VRB, a hunt for information. Stalking through the web, through libraries, through historical societies, for the nice tasty information. While you've tools only imagined twenty years ago, that doesn't mean the web is your only hunting ground. Talk to your librarian*. If they can't help, go to the closest university and talk to their librarian. E-mail the authors. Hunt it down!

*Damn, I miss Mary Anne.