Risk Management Toolkit for Open GLAM

The Risk Management Toolkit for Open GLAM version 2.0 published in December 2025. This update reflects the rapidly changing conditions in which GLAM organisations operate and offers more robust guidance for identifying, understanding, and addressing risks associated with opening up digital cultural heritage collections. With this release, the Toolkit has also been renamed to Risk Management Toolkit for Open GLAM, reflecting a clearer focus on supporting Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums (GLAM) in managing risks as they open up their digital collections. A major addition in v2.0 is the introduction of a Geopolitical Risk area. This new section responds to growing global uncertainties and explores how political interference, conflict-driven disruption, natural disasters, and environmental pressures can affect open access initiatives. By situating these challenges within the broader Open GLAM context, the Toolkit helps institutions anticipate and plan for risks that extend beyond organisational or legal boundaries. The Toolkit has also been updated to strengthen connections across risk areas. Expanded content and new signposting in a little box called “How this risk area connects to other risk areas” now highlight how different risk areas intersect, encouraging a more holistic approach to risk assessment and strategy development. This cross-referencing supports GLAM professionals in understanding how addressing one risk may influence others. In addition, the Use Cases section has been expanded with new, practical examples, including scenarios that reflect geopolitical challenges. These use cases ground the Toolkit in real-world situations and demonstrate how risks and mitigation strategies may unfold in practice. A new Risk–Strategy Interrelation Matrix further supports strategic thinking by illustrating how responses to one risk area can shift, intensify, or introduce risks in another. The matrix is available both online and as downloadable PDF and Word documents for direct use in planning and policy work. Finally, the Related Resources section has been refreshed and expanded with indicative materials that support a deeper understanding of the Open GLAM landscape. These resources help organisations identify relevant risks and develop informed strategies as they work to open up their collections.