A question:

   Are there any working examples of the following approach to
   providing access to digital images?

   1) Making lo-rez images available on the Internet as part of a working
   collections database (in this case a natural history research
   collection.)

   2) Selling hi-rez images through :
          a) fee for access on the internet (ie credit card or account
             payment.)

          b) selling CD-ROM's

   So, a researcher would find the specimen that s/he is looking for by
   searching the database.  A low resolution image of this specimen would
   be immediately available (good enough to confirm the general
   appearance of the specimen.)  Then, the researcher could either click
   to pay for immediate access to a hi-rez image (a fee would be charged
   to his/her institution, or if they hadn't an account, a credit card
   would be requested.); or alternatively, buy the CD-ROM at a cost
   comparable to the research CD-ROMS that are now available.

   Thanks.

   Eric Siegel
   [log in to unmask]