Collection Risk Assessment Framework

The Collection Risk Assessment Framework includes tools to assist in analysing the collection and in choosing what to preserve. The frame work is based on three factors: preservation considerations and curatorial or cultural significance assessment and then a combination of the two to assist in decision making. It is helpful to think in such categories when you are assessing large numbers of collection items with defined available resources for their preservation.

Urgency – A summary of the preservation factors of Fragility; Longevity; Obsolesence; Holdings
How urgent is it that the preservation be carried out?

Consequence of Loss – A summary of Heritage Value and Access Value
The curatorial assessment of the material can be summed up in risk assessment thinking as the consequence of the loss of that material to your collection. Ask the question – does it matter that this particular item will be lost to vinegar syndrome or breakdown of the tape formulation?

Importance – A combination of Urgency and Consequence of Loss factors.
These factors in combination give us an idea of the importance of the material, the more important it is, the more you can argue that it should be preserved sooner rather than later.

Preservation Planning – Use the framework tools to inform your planning.