ASI News
—New training course, Principles of Indexing, unveiled
—Webinar series to focus on index structure
—Are you the next Key Words editor?
—Add updated ASI member icon
—Help out with website tasks
—Update ASI mailing address
Chapters and SIGS
—Special Interest Groups plan February meetings
Associated Industry News
—Diversity in Publishing Bursary accepting applications
Business and Marketing
—Technology: Check out Windows features
Spotlight on Beth Lee-De Amici
ASI News
New training course, Principles of Indexing, unveiled
ASI’s new training course, Principles of Indexing, is open for registration. This curriculum, designed by a team of indexers led by Shana Milkie, has been designed to provide students with the knowledge, competence, and professional readiness needed to be a working indexer, according to ASI President Jen Weers.
Benefits of the new course include a digital learning environment, student-instructor engagement, and a modern curriculum.
This course replaces Training in Indexing, which ASI has licensed from Britain’s Society for Indexers (SI) for many years. Training in Indexing will remain available until all currently enrolled learners who wish to do so have completed the course.
The new program, Principles of Indexing, opened for registration on February 1.
Jen Weers and ASI extend appreciation to Shana Milkie and her team, Rose Coad, Meghan Miller Brawley, Carol Reed, Jessica Siddiqi, and Diana Witt for their dedicated work on this years-long project. Appreciation also goes to members of the committee who did so much work in getting this initiative started including Anne Fifer, Becky Hornyak, Fred Leise, Rudy Leon, Linda Mamassian, Annie Rehill, Laurel Rush, Estalita Slivoskey, and Carolyn Weaver. An additional thank you to the many testers who helped in the development.
Webinar series to focus on index structure
A three-part webinar series on index structure kicks off on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, and continues March 11 and March 18.
“Structural Elements: A Deeper Look Into Structure” will feature industry-leading indexers who bring expertise and practical insight to their presentations.
March 4: Joan Shapiro examines missing or incomplete information in texts and discusses how indexers decide when—and how much—to supply what isn’t explicitly stated.
March 11: 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.
March 18th: Devon Thomas wraps up the series with guidance on indexing ancillary material, including review questions, tables, glossaries, appendices, and other supplemental content—what to include, when to include it, and why it matters.
Each webinar starts at 10 a.m. Pacific/1 p.m. Eastern time.
Watch your email and the ASI website for information on registration, which will be open soon.
Are you the next Key Words editor?
The American Society for Indexing is seeking an editor for its quarterly journal, Key Words. Applicants must be a current member of ASI.
Requirements of the editorship include:
- Planning the content for each issue, soliciting contributions, editing and proofreading copy, and transmitting files, which have been copy edited, in electronic format to the layout editor for production.
- Overseeing the work of the layout editor, including adherence to production dates. He or she will review page layout and graphic design of each issue, including photos, cover, and illustrations. The editor will proof final copy and provide approval prior to circulation.
- Identifying and soliciting cover stories on topics related to the indexing industry that are informative, enlightening, and newsworthy. The editor shall ensure all writers agree in writing to the ASI copyright policy for their submitted written works.
- Arranging for full coverage of the Annual Conference events for publication in the journal.
ASI reimburses the editor for time and operating expenses with an honorarium of $4,800 for the year, paid at a rate of $1,200 per quarter.
To apply for the position, please email your letter of interest to Gwen Henson, accompanied by your current resume and statement of how you are qualified for the position and why you are interested in becoming the Key Words editor. Please include links to other publications you’ve edited. The application deadline is 5 p.m. Pacific time on February 15, 2026.
Add updated ASI member icon
ASI’s member icon is updated for 2026. Members of ASI can highlight their professionalism and assure their clients they are dedicated participants in the industry by displaying the icon. It can be used in an email signature, added to websites, and featured on invoices and business cards. In addition to the member icon, there are several sizes and styles of ASI’s logo.
Information on downloading and use of the logos is available here.
Help out with website tasks
The ASI volunteer Webmaster Committee is looking for new team members.
If you enjoy updating and tinkering with your own website, the webmaster team could be a great way to volunteer with ASI. The committee works as a team, with members taking turns being on call as webmaster of the week (WoW) about one week a month. Duties include sending timely email responses, making requested website updates (WordPress and basic HTML), and keeping other team members updated.
Ideally, volunteers would have some previous experience managing simple WordPress tasks. Tech support experience can be helpful as well. If you are interested, please contact the team.
Update ASI mailing address
ASI has a new mailing address, effective immediately. When sending any correspondence or remitting payments, please mail to:
American Society for Indexing
PO Box 24588
Tempe, AZ 85285
The ASI office has not moved; only the mailing address has changed.
Chapters and SIGS
Special Interest Groups plan February meeting
The Gardening/Environmental Studies SIG will meet online on Wednesday, February 18, at 10 a.m. Pacific time/ 1 p.m. Eastern time. This is an opportunity for members to connect and network, while sharing ideas about the field. A Zoom link will be sent out to members.
The Digital Publications SIG will hold a quarterly get-together on Thursday, February 5, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. Pacific time.
Information about all of ASI’s SIGs is available here.
Please share news about your SIG with See Also.
Associated Industry News
Diversity in Publishing Bursary accepting applications
The Indexing Society of Canada (ISC/SCI) is accepting applications for its Diversity in Canadian Publishing Bursary. To further equality of opportunity for aspiring indexers belonging to underrepresented or marginalized groups, ISC/SCI grants the bursary to cover fees for an approved indexing educational program, two years of society membership, and entry into the Mary Newberry Mentorship program.
The bursary is open to those with significant residential ties to Canada, in addition to American Indigenous indexers whose traditional territories cross the Canada/US border.
More details and the application are available here. Submission deadline is March 8, 2026. Email TIDE@indexers.ca any questions or comments.
Business and Marketing
Technology: Check out Windows features
The Windows 11 operating system has had its critics, but PCMag recently explored ten lesser-known tools and shortcuts of Windows 11 that might be useful in the way you work. Here are a couple:
Storage Sense: Automatically manage temporary and no-longer-needed files. Under Settings, go to System > Storage > Storage Sense to choose options that work best for you and your work habits.
Through cleanup schedules, you can have Windows automatically delete files from the Recycling Bin and/or from the Downloads folder. There are several time periods to choose from as well as how often you want Storage Sense to run—from every day to when disk space is low (the default).
End tasks quicker: When a program malfunctions during use, you usually have to hit Ctrl + Alt + Del to access the Task Manager and choose and close the program. But enabling End Task in the taskbar makes that faster. So if your PDF freezes, you right click the icon in the task bar and choose End Task. To turn this on, head to Settings > System > Advanced and activate the End Task toggle under the Taskbar section.
Check out the full article for more features—including syncing the clipboard and projecting to your PC.
Spotlight on Beth Lee-De Amici
This month’s Spotlight is on Beth Lee-De Amici, of Quaternion Editorial.
If you would like to be in the Spotlight, or would like to nominate someone for it, please contact Laurie Hlavaty.
Where do you live now? Where are you originally from? Do you share your home with pets or family?
I currently live in Maryland. My dad was in the military, so I don’t really feel like I’m from anywhere, but I lived in California for thirty years before moving to Maryland. My two children live with me; one of them is an adult and is working full time, the other will be finishing high school in the spring. They’re both terrific kids. I also have a dachshund mix, who is an excellent editorial and indexing assistant.
What is your educational background?
I have a bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley and a PhD in from the University of Pennsylvania. Both of those degrees are in music (music history). I also completed the professional sequence in editing and the professional course in indexing through UC Berkeley Extension.
Do you have any hobbies, travels, volunteer work, or other interesting things to share?
I like to do digital art, although at the moment I am looking for a new app to use because my old one was retired permanently. I like to go kayaking with my dog in the warmer months, and I also take my dog for little hikes in the parks near where I live. I completed a novel a few years back and have been trying to get up the courage to revise it. I also have some blogs: One is about the 1960s British spy-fi show The Avengers; another is about books, film, and television (other than Avengers); and the third is about whatever else takes my fancy. I’m currently working on a blog about music in Ryan Coogler’s Sinners and one about Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein.
What kind of work did you do before you studied indexing? Are you still doing that or other work in addition to indexing?
I worked on and off as a non–tenure track college professor until 2018, and in between those teaching stints I spent about three years as a real property appraiser for the Los Angeles County Office of the Assessor. I switched to editing after giving up teaching, because I needed to be able to work from home. I later added indexing to give me more opportunities for work. I still do editing, and I added typesetting to my practice this year.
What is one of your favorite strategies to help motivate or inspire when you are feeling stuck during a work project?
I’ll take my dog for a hike or do some things around the house, especially nonessential projects that I’ve been putting off. Deadlines permitting, I will sometimes just take the rest of the day off and come back fresh in the morning. I try not to work on weekends if at all possible; that seems to help as well.
When did you start indexing? When did you join ASI?
I started indexing in 2023, and I joined ASI at that time.
For you, what is the best advantage of ASI membership?
The main advantage of ASI membership is access to the jobs list and the directory. I also like the informal Indexing Playgrounds, and I hope to be able to take advantage of some of the continuing education programs soon.
Items to be considered for the See Also newsletter should be submitted by the 15th of the month before publication. For March 2026 issue, please email SeeAlsoEditor@asindexing.org by February 15. Thank you.