Openness + GLAM case studies

[Timothy Vollmer]

Hi all:

This is a little bit different than much of the open policy activities we're involved with, but it's interesting to see how galleries, libraries, archives, and museums (GLAM) institutions are looking for ways to leverage openness in their collections and outreach to new audiences. And the report also mentions how the default is being flipped from closed to open by funders across the board--from governments to philanthropy--and that this fact will also affect how traditional GLAM organizations will operate. 

http://siarchives.si.edu/sites/default/files/pdfs/2016_03_10_OpenCollections_Public.pdf

The case studies examined in Appendix A find that fears about loss of intellectual
control of collections, or reductions in the number of in-person visits, due to open
access policies are largely unfounded. With an open access policy, revenue from rights and reproduction activities are reduced, but retaining more restrictive terms of use may cost organizations in funding opportunities, staff time, and reputation. As GLAM organizations consider their future sustainability as their “typical” audience ages out, they must examine the impact that more restrictive terms of use will have on their relevance as an organization. With information from a decade of open access programs in the GLAM world, organizations now are in the advantageous position to assess their terms of use based on evidence and the sector’s collective experience.

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