Online Discussion Groups

This is a list of Internet discussion groups (mailing lists) and Web sites dedicated to indexing or related subjects, such as technical writing, abstracting, editing, working at home, and so on.

Jump to: Other Indexing Discussion Groups | Related Discussion Groups

Official ASI lists

Subscription and access to these two discussion groups is a benefit of membership in ASI, and the lists are not open to non-members. Please note that as a courtesy to our members, both lists are "opt-in", and you will not be subscribed automatically. We do encourage all our members to subscribe!

  • ASIndexing (formerly ASI-L)
    ASIndexing is an electronic forum for the discussion of topics pertinent to ASI and its membership, and we encourage all members to become active participants. Topics include questions about the practice and business of indexing; discussion of indexing-related articles, books, or social media posts; notification of events such as meet-ups or Chapter/SIG programming, networking opportunities, etc.  ASI also uses the list to communicate administrative information, including volunteer requests, job openings, and so forth. You will receive an invitation to join this "opt-in" list after you join ASI. For information on how to subscribe, log into your ASI member account and visit the ASindexing page in our member area.
  • ASI Indexer Jobs Hotline
    The ASI Indexer Jobs Hotline service is designed to connect those who need an indexer – publishers, editors, authors, etc. – with our members, and vice versa.  Clients who need an indexer fill out a form with the job specifics, and these job postings are then sent to subscribers of this list.. Members respond directly to the client if they wish to apply for the job.  This list is also "opt-in."  To subscribe, send an e-mail message to asi-jobs+subscribe@groups.io (you can leave the subject and body of the email blank). You can also join online at https://groups.io/g/asi-jobs by clicking on the “Apply For Membership In This Group” button.

Other Indexing Discussion Groups

  • aliaINDEXERS
    aliaINDEXERS is an electronic mailing list targeted at Australian indexers (others are welcome). This mailing list has been started by the Australian Libraries and Information Association (ALIA). It will be moderated by Stuart Hughes. Information about the list (and other alianet lists) is at http://lists.alia.org.au/mailman/listinfo/aliaindexers_lists.alia.org.au. To join, write to listproc@alia.org with the following message (using your own name): subscribe aliaINDEXERS firstname lastname. Leave the subject line blank.

  • CindexUsers
    The CindexUsers list is a forum for discussing Cindex, the professional indexing software program from Indexing Research. The list encourages exchange of tips, tricks, and techniques among Cindex users. Membership in the list is open to current users of Cindex in either Windows or Macintosh formats, as well as prospective users and other members of the indexing community. While the staff of Indexing Research have expressed an interest in this forum, it is not their intention that this list become a question and answer dialogue between Cindex users and Indexing Research. Please continue to send questions of support to Indexing Research at support@indexres.com. To subscribe to the CindexUsers list, send an email message to cindexusers+subscribe@groups.io or visit https://groups.io/g/cindexusers to subscribe online.
  • Digital Publications Indexing
    Digital Publications Indexing is associated with the Digital Publications Indexing SIG of the American Society for Indexing, and membership in the Digital Publications Indexing SIG is a requirement for joining this group. Digital Publications Indexing is an open forum for professional indexers who specialize in writing indexes for digital publications. Indexers interested in learning about digital publications indexing and digital publication creators/editors interested in indexing are also welcome to join this group. We welcome discussions of techniques, standards, software tools, client-indexer relations, and marketing specific to digital publications indexing. Other topics for discussion may include taxonomies and other nonalphabetical methods of classifying information with digital publications sites, online indexes of periodicals, and human indexing/categorizing of multiple digital publications. For more information, and to subscribe, see http://digital-publications-indexing.org to join the SIG.
  • Indexers' Discussion Group (IDG)
    Indexers’ Discussion Group is open to indexers of all skill levels and interests. Any topic related to the practice and business of indexing is open for discussion in a casual, friendly atmosphere. Subscribe through Groups.io at main+subscribe@idg.groups.io. Listowner: Joan Shapiro shapiroindexing@gmail.com.
  • Indexers of Diversity
    A discussion group for indexers who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color to meet and build community around their work in indexing and as indexers. Members of other underrepresented groups are invited to find community here as well. Every member of the larger IDG group is invited and very welcome to join the group, however please join with the awareness that this group will be a safe and brave space with topics focused on the indexing experiences of BIPOC and other underrepresented communities.This is a subgroup of Indexers' Discussion Group.To subscribe, email IndexersOfDiversity+subscribe@idg.groups.io You can also join online at https://idg.groups.io/g/IndexersOfDiversity.

  • Indexing-PNW
    The Indexing-PNW listserv (formerly Index-NW) serves professional and student indexers and others interested in indexing from the entire Pacific Northwest (US and Canada). Indexers outside the Northwest may also subscribe to this listserv. Discussions range from issues about indexing techniques and business practices, to announcements about upcoming conferences, informal local meetings, peer reviews and regional marketing events, to making arrangements for transportation and lodging at regional or industry-wide conferences. Subscribe at Indexing-PNW listserv. When your subscription request is accepted, you will receive confirmation about how to send messages to the listserv and how to manage your subscription.
  • INDEX-L
    INDEX-L is a mailing list that was created to promote good indexing practice by providing a forum for aspiring and professional indexers to share information and ideas relating to all aspects of index preparation. Topics for discussion can include various types of index structures such as indexes for books, periodicals, online text, databases, or hypermedia. Participants include but are not limited to members of professional indexers organizations (ASI,NFAIS), librarians, library school faculty, and editors. For information about subscribing, unsubscribing, and other functionality of Index-L, see https://lists.unc.edu/read/?forum=index-l.
  • Index Peer Review (formerly IndexPeers)
    Indexers volunteer to review each other's edited indexes. Very often indexers have little or no continuing opportunity for feedback on their indexes. A peer review provides an opportunity for this feedback. By reviewing and being reviewed, we increase our awareness of good indexing technique and gain valuable feedback on our skills. The list has recently moved from YahooGroups to Groups.io. To subscribe, email index-peer-review+subscribe@groups.io.
  • Macrex
    The purpose of the Macrex e-mail discussion group is to act as a forum for discussion on all issues related to indexing with Macrex. It will not cover general indexing matters. If you would like to join the Macrex group, send a message to mailjoin@macrex.com. In your message, put Join macrex list [your name] [your serial number]Once you have joined, we will add your name to our list and all messages sent to the list will be distributed to you. To send a message to the list, use the address list@macrex.com. We will be moderating the list and may answer some queries before sending them to the other members on the list, but this will not happen frequently. If you have any queries about the list, please send them to queries@macrex.com.
  • Scholarly Indexing
    Scholarly Indexing is an open forum for professional indexers who specialize in indexing materials published by academic presses, or publications intended for scholars, researchers, and students of specific academic disciplines. We welcome discussions of techniques, standards, client-indexer relations, and marketing specific to scholarly indexing, including participation by editors and publishers who care about excellence in scholarly indexing. To subscribe, send an email message to scholarlyindexing+subscribe@groups.io, or visit https://groups.io/g/scholarlyindexing to subscribe online.
  • SKY Index Users
    The SKY Index Users Group was formed by SKY Software and is the official group for SKY Index users to get and provide helpful information about the program. The group has been formed to allow and encourage the exchange of tips, tricks, and techniques among owners of SKY Index. The list is also intended to aid those who are trying the SKY Index demo and would like to learn more about the program's capabilities. For more information and to join, visit: https://groups.google.com/g/skyindexusers.

Related Discussion Groups

  • Art & Architecture Thesaurus Discussion List
    If you use the Art & Architecture Thesaurus, you might consider participating in (or just listening to) this discussion. Questions about AAT-L may be addressed to the human administrator at aat-l-request@listserv.uic.edu. To subscribe to AAT-L, send a message to listserv@listserv.uic.edu with this command on the first line of the body of the message: sub AAT-L firstname lastname (with your own first and last names). For more information about this mailing list, send the command info aat-l.
  • Association for Information Science and Technology (ASIS&T) Special Interest Group for Visualization, Images, and Sound (SIG-VIS), https://www.asist.org/sig/sigvis/
    The Special Interest Group (SIG) for Visualization, Images, and Sound (VIS) provides a forum for ASIS&T members to discuss, develop, and promote issues and research involving graphic and visual information. Such information includes, but is not limited to, text document images, still and moving pictures with or without sound, geographic attributes and topology, and virtual representations of the visual world.
  • Center for Intelligent Information Retrieval (CIIR) Home Page, http://ciir.cs.umass.edu/
    The Center for Intelligent Information Retrieval (CIIR) carries out basic research and technology transfer in the area of text-based information systems. The CIIR was created to address the problem of effective use of the growing quantities of electronic information throughout our society. Today this Center represents a new model for more streamlined technology transfer, public/private partnership, and economic development.
  • Conference on Information and Knowledge Management (CIKM), www.cikmconference.org
    The Conference on Information and Knowledge Management (CIKM) provides an international forum for presentation and discussion of research on information and knowledge management, as well as recent advances on data and knowledge bases. The purpose of the conference is to identify challenging problems facing the development of future knowledge and information systems, and to shape future directions of research by soliciting and reviewing high quality, applied and theoretical research findings. An important part of the conference is the Workshops program which focuses on timely research challenges and initiatives.
  • Copyediting Discussion List
    Many indexers subscribe to this rather active list, which concerns itself with discussions of language usage, publishing business practice, and other language-related chat. List traffic is heavy, but subscriptions can be tailored to filter out unwanted subject types. Copyediting-L is notable both for its language expertise and its courtesy.To subscribe to COPYEDITING-L, send a message to listserv@listserv.indiana.edu with this command on the first line of the body of the message:sub COPYEDITING-L firstname lastname (with your own first and last names).
  • LIBJOBS@INFOSERV.NLC-BNC.CA.
    LIBJOBS is a moderated mailing list for the submission of employment opportunities for librarians and information professionals. Use this mailing list for information about job listings, employment opportunities, job share program information, or similar types of LIS career information. To subscribe to LIBJOBS, send a message to listserv@infoserv.nlc-bnc.ca with this command on the first line of the body of the message: subscribe libjobs firstname lastname (with your own first and last names). For more information about this mailing list, send the command info libjobs.
  • MLA-L (Music Library Association listerv).
    For lively and informal discussion about the Music Library Association (MLA) and music librarianship, subscribe to MLA-L, an electronic mail distribution list accessible via the Internet. Just send the electronic message subscribe mla-l firstname lastname to the addresslistserv@iubvm.ucs.indiana.edu and your subscription will begin immediately.
  • The Society for Technical Communication (STC), www.stc.org
    The STC is a non-profit international organization and is the largest professional society devoted to technical communication, STC is concerned with the education, improvement, and advancement of its members. Membership includes writers, editors, illustrators, printers, publishers, educators, students, engineers, and scientists in all areas of technology.
  • SOREHAND@listsrv.ucsf.edu
    This mailing list is dedicated to discussions regarding Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Tendonitis, and so on. To subscribe, send the message sub sorehand firstname lastname to listserv@listsrv.ucsf.edu.
  • TECHWR-L
    Techwr-l is for technical communications and related issues. Anything related to any facet of technical communication (practice, research, teaching) is appropriate for this list. Sample topics include: How do you handle uncooperative engineers or programmers? What do others do about making technical writing a priority in their companies? I am researching user documentation and would like to contact anyone who has written aftermarket docs? To subscribe to techwr-l, visit its Web site at http://www.techwr-l.com/about-technical-writing-discussion-groups.html.