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International Affiliation Agreement

The International Affiliation Agreement reflects the current relationships between several international indexing societies (see below). The agreement marks the development of international relationships between these societies, and the support and exchange of ideas that the societies can offer to each other.

2012 Revision of the International Agreement

Agreement between the Society of Indexers, the American Society of Indexers, the Indexing Society of Canada/Société canadienne d'indexation, the Australian and New Zealand Society of Indexers, the Association of Southern African Indexers and Bibliographers, and the China Society of Indexers (1999, amended 2006, 2009, 2012).

All mention of Societies refers to the Societies listed in Schedule A.  All mention of Associate groups or networks refers to those listed in Schedule B. Procedural practices regarding The Indexer, reciprocal rights among the Societies and Associate groups or networks, the Triennial International Meetings, interim international meetings, and the International Coordinator are set out in Schedules C, D, and E.

  1. This agreement between the Societies promotes the aims and objectives of the Societies and their members, and supersedes all previous affiliation agreements between the Societies.
  2. The category of "Associate" status will enable groups and networks that have not formed formal Societies to receive The Indexer at the preferential rate enjoyed by the indexing Societies.
  3. The members of each Society will enjoy the right to attend meetings and conferences of the other Societies and to purchase publications at the member rate. Members will not have reciprocal rights to vote or hold office.
  4. Each Society and Associate group or network may accept membership applications from individuals outside their own area but will refrain from actively seeking members in areas covered by other Societies.
  5. Each Society and Associate group or network agrees to nominate an international liaison to represent its interests on matters of international import, and to maintain open communication with the other Societies and Associates
  6. Each Society will offer a free registration for their annual conference to an authorized representative from each of the other Societies.
  7. A review of the International Agreement will take place every third year at a Triennial International Meeting, which will take place at the annual conference of one of the Societies.
  8. The host of the Triennial International Meeting will offer a free registration to an authorized representative from each of the Societies and each of the Associate groups or networks.
  9. The member newsletter of each Society and Associate group or network will be made available to governing bodies of all the sister Societies and Associate groups or networks, and these bodies may make the newsletters available to their members
  10. The [British] Society of Indexers shall publish The Indexer on behalf of all the Societies and Associates. The Indexer will remain the property of the [British] Society of Indexers.
  11. The appointment of the editor(s) of The Indexer will remain the responsibility of the [British] Society of Indexers. The production and management of The Indexer will be the responsibility of the Indexer Management Committee.
  12. The editor(s) of The Indexer will maintain the right to accept or reject contributions from whatever source, at their discretion.
  13. Each Society and Associate group or network will have the right to one free advertisement in each issue of The Indexer. Likewise, The Indexer will have the right to a free advertisement in the newsletters of other Societies and Associate groups or networks.
  14. Each Society and Associate group or network will be entitled, subject to the availability of space, to one free advertisement per issue in the newsletters of other Societies and Associate groups or networks.
  15. Any Society may withdraw from the agreement on giving 12 months notice to the other Societies.
  16. This agreement will come into effect on its ratification by the respective Societies, according to their constitutional procedures. It does not depend upon approval of the groups or networks holding Associate status.

 
Schedule A: Societies

American Society for Indexing (ASI)
Association of Southern African Indexers and Bibliographers (ASAIB)
Australian and New Zealand Society of Indexers (ANZSI)
China Society of Indexing and Database Management (formerly China Society of Indexers) (CSI)
Indexing Society of Canada / Société canadienne d'indexation (ISC/SCI)
Society of Indexers (referred to above as [British] Society of Indexers) (SI)

Schedule B: Associate Groups or Networks

Deutsches Netzwerk der Indexer/German Indexing Network (DNI)
Nederlands Indexers Netwerk/Netherlands Indexing Network (NNI)

Schedule C: Committees and Procedures Relating to The Indexer

  • The Indexer Management Committee is appointed by the Society of Indexers in consultation with the editor of The Indexer.
  • The Indexer International Advisory Committee is chaired by the editor of The Indexer and is responsible for ensuring that all the participating Societies and Associate groups or networks are able to make an effective contribution to the development and implementation of policy relating to The Indexer. Each Society and Associate group or network has the right to nominate one member to the Indexer Editorial Advisory Committee.
  • Each Society and Associate group or network will make The Indexer available to its members according to its own rules and procedures.
  • The Indexer subscription rate for members of the Societies and Associate groups or networks will be fixed by the [British] Society of Indexers and will be at a lower rate than the general subscription rate. Societies and Associate groups or networks will be notified of price changes by the beginning of September of the year before these changes take effect.

Schedule D: Procedures Relating to Reciprocal Rights

  • Reciprocal arrangements do not apply to Associate groups or networks unless negotiated individually with particular Societies.
  • Services specific to a Society, such as certification and registers of indexers, are not included in reciprocal rights.
  • The Special Interest Groups (SIGs) affiliated with the American Society for Indexing are open to members of other Societies and Associate groups or networks; any SIG member may vote and hold office in that SIG.
  • Online newsletters that are free to members will be made available to the governing bodies of each Society or Associate group or network through the international liaisons. The governing bodies may make the newsletters accessible to members of their Society or Associate group or network. This reciprocal arrangement does not apply to The Indexer and Key Words (ASI).

Schedule E: The Triennial International Meeting, the International Coordinator, and the International Committee of Representatives of Indexing Societies (ICRIS)

  • Each Triennial International Meeting will confirm the host for the next meeting.
  • Each Triennial International Meeting will appoint an International Coordinator to serve for a term of three years (from one Triennial meeting until the next); the appointment may be renewed for one additional term.
  • The International Coordinator will be responsible for drafting the agenda for the upcoming Triennial International Meeting and maintaining contact among the Societies and Associate groups or networks (primarily through ICRIS) about amendments to the International Agreement and other issues that may arise.
  • Between Triennial International Meetings, the International Coordinator, working in conjunction with international liaisons from other Societies or Associate groups or networks, may organize an interim international meeting at a conference of one of the Societies. All international representatives attending the conference, as well as participants with responsibility for The Indexer, will be invited to attend. Other individuals may be invited at the discretion of the International Coodinator or the ICRIS member who is chairing the meeting. No decision will be taken. Minutes will be distributed to ICRIS members.

If you have questions about the International Affiliation Agreement, please contact the ASI International Representative.