Dear Indexing Student

Dear Indexing Student

Congratulations on your decision to learn indexing!

At this time, you may be feeling excited, bewildered, or both about your course.

You may be learning indexing as part of a program. Or perhaps you are going to make a career as an indexer. Whatever brought you here, we would not be surprised if you’ve never met an indexer in your life. And that’s why we made this page just for you.

We’re the Indexing Society of Canada / Société canadienne d’indexation (ISC/SCI), Canada’s professional society of indexers. We would like to tell you about the many indexing resources available to you to round out your studies and help you in your career.

Resources

The ISC/SCI’s mission is to encourage the production and use of indexes, promote the recognition of indexers, improve indexing techniques, and foster communication among individual indexers across Canada. Our vision is “Accessible information; informed people.”

We fulfill our vision and mission by providing the following:

Online resources

On this website you’ll find

• answers to questions frequently asked by new and aspiring indexers
• the list of reference books that indexers use to solve their indexing conundrums
• links to the major indexing software programs
• links to join discussion groups, forums, and special interest groups covering a wide range of topics, such as unusual indexing situations, specialty subject matter, and professional etiquette
• sample issues of the Bulletin, the newsletter of the ISC/SCI
• links to our affiliated indexing societies in the US, England, Netherlands, Germany, Australia and New Zealand, South Africa, and China
• advice we give to authors about hiring an indexer
• and more.

Regional meetings

Every other month, our regional groups have meetings and get-togethers to talk about indexing and the freelance business lifestyle. These meetings are typically open to everyone and are announced on the calendar. There may be an upcoming event in your area.

To find out more about attending a regional meeting or to speak to a representative in your area, contact:

• British Columbia: bc_rep@indexers.ca
• Prairies and Northern Canada: prairies_rep@indexers.ca
• Ontario: central_rep@indexers.ca
• Québec and Atlantic Canada: eastern_rep@indexers.ca

National conferences

Each year we hold our national conference in late spring or early summer. Presenters from around the world will speak on a range of topics from indexing matters to running your freelance business. The venue alternates between a virtual conference and in-person event in a Canadian city. Whatever the venue, the conference organizers make sure there are lots of opportunities to meet and get to know your fellow indexers.

Society Membership

If you plan to earn income as an indexer you will benefit by joining our society. A special student rate is available if you are enrolled full-time in a college, technical institute, or university.

As a member, you will:

• Be eligible to join our ISC/SCI discussion group and online chat forums and learn from the collective experience of your fellow members.
• Stay current with the ISC/SCI Bulletin published three times a year.
• Improve your skills with members-only content on the website.
• Be eligible to receive mentorship from an experienced indexer.
• Be eligible to promote your services with a listing in the Register of Indexers Available (Find an Indexer).
• Locate your fellow members in the membership directory.
• Get the world perspective in The Indexer, the international journal of indexing, mailed to you four times a year.
• Receive discounts on the national conference, the Information Today book series, and the conferences, webinars, and publications of our affiliated societies.
• Be able to join our bi-monthly National Chats via Zoom. These popular events are attended by indexers at all levels — new, experienced, and in between. We cover topics from indexing practices, to client relations, to building a thriving freelancing business. Meeting dates alternate between the second Saturday of the month and the second Wednesday of the month.

Visit the membership page for details.

Contact

“You’re an indexer? I didn’t know that was a ‘thing’!”

If you’ve heard that before, then you know that the indexing community is not a large one. But we are closely connected, and vested in each other’s success—including yours.

Whether indexing for you is a one-time course or your career direction, we invite you to connect with us. You’ll find us on our social media links—Facebook, LinkedIn, and X (Twitter). You can also send a note through our Contact page. We would love to hear from you.

Wishing you a great learning experience and career success!

Jolanta Komornicka and Maggie Ballard
Co-presidents, Indexing Society of Canada / Société canadienne d’indexation (ISC/SCI)