For over 25 years, the UNM Native Health Database (NHD-www.nativehealthdatabase.net) has functioned as a centralized repository for abstracts describing Indigenous health information, though content was frequently hidden behind physical, digital, and monetary barriers. In 2020, UNM’s Health Sciences Library and Informatics Center began a project to migrate over 10,000 records into a new database, supported by the Mukurtu CMS (www.mukurtu.org) platform. In addition to providing direct access through embedded content, this new platform provides for the ability to establish nuanced access protocols to prevent unintended access to sensitive materials. The creation of these protocols is predominantly Indigenous-led, with content creators & depositors--as well as users-- understanding that materials may be subject to various access protocols that are intended to prevent exploitation and harm for those to whom the materials pertain. A new collaborative NHD advisory council, composed of Indigenous and non-Indigenous individuals in the fields of health policy, research, and librarianship, are helping navigate the future of this resource. “Open-ish Access” for the NHD promotes the inclusion of critical stakeholders in determining the extent to which the principles of Open Access are both applicable and appropriate for the sharing of health-related resources focused on Indigenous communities
