Assessing Risk to Cultural Property 1

Introduction to Risk Concepts and Ranking Type 1 Risks

Assessing risks to cultural property, including but not limited to Museum, Library, and Archive collections, is becoming a fundamental ability for collection care professionals. This introductory course provides a firm foundation on which to build an understanding of risk-based approaches to cultural property protection. Ideas associated with the terms hazard, risk, deterioration, damage, and loss are clarified. Risks are defined as departures from the goal of shepherding a collection forward in time without it suffering damage or loss. We will explore the importance of comprehensiveness and of clear definitions of risks. Tools are provided and practiced to ensure comprehensive sets of well defined risks can be developed based on agents of change and types of risk.

Participants will develop a useful set of defined type 1 (rare and potentially catastrophic) specific risks relevant to their institution. The potential impact of those risks will be ranked according to estimates of likelihood and impact. This will provide focus in the development of emergency preparedness plans and resources. It will also provide a platform for more effective communication among functional groups within your institution including collection management, registration, conservation, facilities management, security, finance, and possibly others.

This course is a prerequisite to Assessing Risk to Cultural Property 2.

Instructor: Robert Waller

Course Start Date: March 4, 2019

Duration: 4 weeks