[NHCOLL-L:2309] shipping methods for specimens

[James B. Ladonski]

Hi all,

Building on Greg's question last week regarding alcohol shipments, who is 
your preferred courier for 1) domestic and 2) international loan 
shipments?  We (Amphibians and Reptiles at the Field Museum) have used UPS 
for domestic and USPS air mail for international for several years now, but 
we've had problems with air mail in the last year or so (packages literally 
taking months to reach even major cities like Paris).  Given this problem, 
we'd like to be able to track our packages (not possible with regular USPS 
air mail).  Our only viable options appear to be 1) use a private courier 
like UPS, FedEx, or DHL; or 2) use USPS air mail and insure the shipment 
for a nominal value.  Option 1 is very costly, so much so that we cannot 
use it except in very special circumstances.  That leaves us with Option 2, 
but we are concerned that insuring the shipment will require the recipient 
to pay a duty to collect the package from their post office.  What is your 
experience with this, both personally and from what you know of policies in 
other countries?

Thanks for any advice you can offer,

Jamie



Mr. James B. Ladonski
Collection Assistant
Division of Amphibians and Reptiles
The Field Museum
1400 S. Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL  60605-2496  USA
phone:  (312) 665-7722
fax:  (312) 665-7697
email:  jladonski at fieldmuseum.org
http://www.fieldmuseum.org/research_collections/zoology/divisions_amphibians.htm