Canada’s Professional Society of Indexers Since 1977

The Indexing Society of Canada / Société canadienne d’indexation (ISC/SCI) is Canada’s national association of indexers.

We invite you to find an indexer for your project, read our publications, discover our conferences, events, and resources for indexers, find out about membership, and learn about the Society.

Find an indexer

Find an indexer who works in the subject area of your project.

Find resources

Find information about indexes, indexing practices, and training in indexing.

Attend an event

Attend a local meeting of indexers or attend the annual conference.

Become a member

Join the Society and enjoy the benefits of membership.

Featured Post

What practices will help me with good index term selection?

Term selection is a key factor that determines the quality and usability of an index. Good index terms are clear, … […]

Upcoming Events

ASI Webinar Series: Structural Elements—A Deeper Look Into Structure

Indexing Society of Canada

Part 1. Indexing Whatchamacallits and Thingamajigs
How to Word Vague, Implied, and Elusive References

with Joan Shapiro on March 4, 2026

In this session Joan will discuss indexing textual discussions that are in some way incomplete. How do you handle references to concepts that aren’t explicitly stated? What do you index for titles of works or events that aren’t spelled out? What if a book title is discussed but its author isn’t mentioned; do you include the author’s name? We will talk about what to put in the index when important information literally cannot be found in the text.

Part 2. Beginnings and Endings
How to Make the Most of Introductions and Conclusions

with Gina Guilinger on March 11, 2026

Gina Guilinger explores the often-overlooked power of introductions and conclusions, sharing practical strategies for using these sections to strengthen and clarify the overall index. Learn best practices for indexing these sections of the book.

Part 3. Beyond the Book: Managing Supplemental Materials

with Devon Thomas March 18, 2026

You’ve worked your way through the main text, but what about all that other stuff? Appendices, glossaries, exercises, review questions, etc, are common, but advice and practice varies on indexing them. This presentation will explore the conundrums of dealing with ancillary materials.

Find more details and biographies of the three presenters at ASI.

ISC/SCI members: to receive the discount offered to us by ASI, log in and go to the Member Dashboard. You will find the discount code under Member Benefits.

Reminder: 2026 Diversity Bursary for Indexers 

Indexing Society of Canada

Application deadline: March 8, 2026

Are you an editor? Or a scholar? A researcher? Do you work in publishing? Do you use the index at the back of books? Have you ever written one? That’s what we do at the Indexing Society of Canada / Société canadienne d’indexation (ISC/SCI), and we want you to join us. 

If you are BIPOC or a member of an underrepresented or marginalized group, the 2026 Diversity in Canadian Publishing Bursary could cover your training and membership fees.

Indexing is a specialized field, involving close reading, analysis, and organization. Beyond writing back-of-book indexes, indexers use their skills in areas as diverse as ebook indexing, metadata and taxonomies, and project management, to name only a few!

The 2026 bursary will be granted to one person and will cover fees for an approved indexing program, two years of ISC/SCI membership with listing, and entry into the mentorship program. Please refer to the bursary application for more information, including eligibility requirements.

To ask questions about the bursary, ISC/SCI, and indexing in general, please contact us at tide@indexers.ca.

LEARN MORE: https://indexers.ca/volunteer/tide/
APPLY HERE: https://indexers.ca/tide-application/

Professional Development Series

Indexing Society of Canada

Canada Revenue Agency: Tax information for self-employed individuals and small business owners
Tuesday, March 24, 2026
1:00 to 3:30 pm ET

Please join us for this session presented by the Canada Revenue Agency Liaison Officer service, just in time for tax season! This webinar is geared to self-employed individuals and small business owners, and will:

  • help you better understand your tax obligations and possible deductions
  • review requirements and processes for GST/HST
  • explain how to avoid common tax errors
  • answer your tax-related questions
  • give you an overview of helpful online tools and electronic services offered by the CRA.

This session is open to all ISC/SCI members, and is relevant for members filing taxes in Canada. You can check the meeting start time in your time zone here: https://dateful.com/time-zone-converter.

Please log in to view the meeting link on the Event page.

National Chat

Indexing Society of Canada

Indexes with Character
Saturday, February 21, 2026
2:00 to 3:30 pm ET

For our first National Chat of 2026, we invite you to think back over indexes you’ve completed (or reviewed). Which index had the most character? And why? We’ll leave it up to you to define “character”! Please join us for this Zoom chat, open to all members of ISC/SCI. You can check the meeting start time in your time zone here: https://dateful.com/time-zone-converter.
Please log in to view the Zoom link on the Event page.

ISC/SCI Conference 2026: Registration Is Open!

Conference Committee

Make and renew connections, develop skills, and grow your indexing business from your office at the ISC/SCI Conference 2026: Sorting It Out. The main conference takes place Friday, April 10 to Saturday, April 11, 2026. Thursday, April 9 will be devoted to software sessions and the special networking event for new and aspiring indexers.

The April 10 and 11 sessions will be recorded.

Visit the conference page for details.

Register now or before March 15 to receive the Early Bird Pricing.

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