Note: Some useful post-conference notes have been compiled.
May 14-17, 1997Â
Hawthorne Inn, Winston-Salem, NCÂ
Joining us as our keynote speaker will be Julia Child, well known for her television series and cookbooks. As an author, Mrs. Child (an ASI member) feels that indexes are an important part of cookbooks. As she says in the foreword to The Way to Cook, "A reference or teaching book is only as good as its index."
Preconference Workshops and Roundtables
Wednesday, May 14 and Thursday, May 15
For newer indexers and those considering becoming an indexer, there will be an introductory indexing workshop during the mornings. Workshops on basic techniques using the indexing software packages MACREX and CINDEX will be held in the afternoons. More experienced software users may wish to build their skills in workshops on advanced techniques with MACREX or CINDEX. "Ask an Indexer" roundtables for those who want to talk with an experienced indexer about specific questions will be offered both days over lunch.
General Sessions, Conference Workshops, and Roundtables
Friday, May 16 and Saturday, May 17
The general sessions (one each morning) will include: "How It Used to Be - The Way We Worked," a panel of veteran indexers who will discuss their experiences as their careers developed; "Indexing the Airwaves: How NPR Considers All Things;" "3,000,000 Images - Real World Application of Indexing Theory," about digitizing and indexing of General Motors' collection of images; "Cooking Up an Index," a panel discussion on cookbook indexing; "Beyond Indexing in Microsoft Office - The Answer Wizard;" and "The Way It Is - Where We Might Be Going," a look at future trends.Roundtables on a number of topics will take place each day over lunch. Three concurrent workshops each afternoon will be on cookbook indexing, term selection for different audiences, the book publishing process, teaching indexing, tax considerations for independent contractors, and editing indexes.
There will be a reception with Julia Child on Friday evening at the Sawtooth Center, a nearby art gallery. Dinner will follow the reception with an address by Mrs. Child.
Presenters: Julia Child, Vicky Agee, Jane Maddocks, Gale Rhoades, Maria Sullivan Young, Elinor Lindheimer, Jessica Milstead, Alexandra Nickerson, Janet Perlman, Do Mi Stauber, Ruth Schwer, Kim Schroeder, Anne Leach, Barbara Cohen, Carolyn McGovern, Diana Witt, Eric Hawley, Nancy Mulvany, Kay Banning, Linda Webster, Lillian Lea.
Wednesday, May 14
Concurrent Workshops, 8:30-11:45 a.m.
Vicky Agee, Freelance Indexer and USDA Basic Indexing Instructor, Albuquerque, NM
Jane Maddocks, Freelance Indexer and USDA Basic Indexing Instructor, Reston, VA
A practical introduction to the art of book indexing, including entry structure, alphabetization, cross-references, style, and format. Workshop participants will do hands-on exercises to get "real world" experience with writing indexes. Registrants will participate in both Part I and Part II (Thursday a.m.).
Advanced Techniques with MACREXÂ (8:30-11:45 a.m.)
Gale Rhoades, North American Publisher of MACREX, Daly City, CA
Learn techniques to improve your productivity, eliminate repetitive tasks, create multiple indexes in a single pass, utilize volume/page numbers for non-book materials, and index without final folios.
Roundtables, 12:00 noon-1:45 p.m.
Informal question-and-answer sessions with experienced indexers
Workshop, 2:00-5:15 p.m.
Gale Rhoades, North American Publisher of MACREX, Daly City, CA
Creating your first index using MACREX: keyboard macros and keywords for double-posting and other tasks, spell-checking, multitasking using MACREX with Windows, and preparing electronic copy for submission to publishers.
Thursday, May 15
Concurrent Workshops, 8:30-11:45 a.m.
Vicky Agee and Jane Maddocks
Advanced Techniques with CINDEXÂ (8:30-11:45 a.m.)
Maria Sullivan Young, Freelance Indexer, CINDEX Trainer and On-line Technical Support Provider, Rochester, NY
Explore advanced index management techniques and problem-solving approaches as well as handling large indexes; working with temporary pagination, revisions, and cumulations; and splitting indexes.
Roundtables, 12:00 noon-1:45 p.m.
Informal question-and-answer sessions with experienced indexers
Workshop, 2:00-5:15 p.m.
Maria Sullivan Young
CINDEX basics from getting started to final copy. An overview of what the program can do with special emphasis on data entry shortcuts, basic editing techniques, and preparing a typesetting file for your client.
Friday, May 16
General Session, 8:30-11:45 a.m.
Vicky Agee, Freelance Indexer, Albuquerque, NM
Elinor Lindheimer, Freelance Indexer, Mendocino, CA
Jessica Milstead, Consultant, Brookfield, CT
Alexandra Nickerson, Freelance Indexer, Cincinnati, OH
Janet Perlman, Freelance Indexer, Scottsdale, AZ
Do Mi Stauber, Moderator, Freelance Indexer, Eugene, OR
Indexing the Airwaves: How NPR Considers All Things
Ruth Schwer, Broadcast Librarian, National Public Radio, Washington, DC
3,000,000 Images: Real World Application of Indexing Theory
Kim Schroeder, Head Archivist, General Motors
Concurrent Roundtable Discussions (includes lunch)
12:00 noon-1:45 p.m.
CD-ROM Indexing
Certification of Indexers
Embedded Indexing
Establishing Special Interest Groups for Indexers
Feast or Famine - Managing the Flow of Your Work
Finding Work
Reference Sources for Indexers
Research on Indexing
Volunteer Projects - Providing a Professional Finish
Concurrent Workshops
2:00-5:15 p.m.
Elinor Lindheimer, Freelance Indexer, Mendocino, CA
This workshop will teach you how to deal with the challenges presented by cookbook indexing to create a useful index. Specific issues in indexing ethnic, specialty, and general cookbooks will be addressed.
Considering Your Audience for a Quality Index (2:00-5:15 p.m.)
Anne Leach, Freelance Indexer, Bermuda Dunes, CA
Anne will discuss term selection for the multiple audiences for each of the following types of works: technical material, textbooks, and scholarly publications. Exercises will include examples from published indexes including Wilson Award winners.
Publishing Essentials for Indexers (2:00-5:15 p.m.)
Barbara Cohen, Freelance Indexer and Copyeditor, Champaign, IL
Carolyn McGovern, Freelance Indexer and Copyeditor, Walnut Creek, CA
What do you need to know about the publishing process to do a professional job on an index? How much of theChicago Manual of Style should you be familiar with? Learn about copyediting conventions and in-house practices from two veteran indexers and copyeditors.
Reception at the Sawtooth Building
5:30-7:00 p.m.
Meet Julia Child
Dinner at the Sawtooth Building
7:00-9:00 p.m.
Address by Julia Child
Saturday, May 17
General Session, 8:30-11:45 a.m.
Julia Child, Author, Cambridge, MA
Elinor Lindheimer, Freelance Indexer, Mendocino, CA
Diana Witt, Moderator, Freelance Indexer, Minneapolis, MN
Beyond Indexing in Microsoft Word - The Answer Wizard
Eric Hawley, Technical Editor, Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA
The Way It Is - Where We Might Be Going
Nancy Mulvany, Freelance Indexer, Author, and Instructor of Indexing, Kensington, CA
Roundtable Discussions (includes lunch)
12:00 noon-1:45 p.m.
Internet Resources for Indexers
Is the Price Right? Issues in Determining Rates
Marketing Your Indexing Services
Marking Up Proof
Master Indexes - Indexing Multiple Documents
One-Pass Indexing for Both Electronic and Print Media
Thesauri in a Full-Text World
Working with Assistants in an Indexing Office
Encore Performances - How to Get the Editor to Hire You Again
Usability Testing
Concurrent Workshops
2:00-5:15 p.m.
Nancy Mulvany, Freelance Indexer, Author, Instructor of Indexing, Kensington, CA
Nancy will present an overview of the various methods she has used for the indexing courses she has taught for more than ten years. The philosophy behind her structured approach to teaching will be explored. Participants will be invited to share their own experiences as well.
Editing the Index: Decisions, Decisions, Decisions! (2:00-5:15 p.m.)
Kay Banning, Freelance Indexer, San Marcos, TX
Linda Webster, Freelance Indexer and Instructor of Indexing, Austin, TX
This intermediate-level workshop will provide editing techniques and checklists with examples from a variety of subject fields in both book and journal indexing. Practical suggestions and hands-on exercises will address wording of main headings and subheadings, conceptual structure of the index, cross-references, and length of the index.
It's April 15 - Do You Know Where Your Deductions Are? (2:00-5:15 p.m.)
Lillian Lea, Enrolled Agent, Berkeley, CA
Lillian, whose clients are primarily freelancers, will discuss taxes and recordkeeping with an emphasis on issues pertinent to independent contractors.