ASI News
—Hines Award Call for Nominations
—2021 Salary Survey Synopsis published
—Application Deadline Extended for Editorial Opportunity
—New ASI Webinar Replay Now Available
—2022 ASI Member Icon Projects Professionalism
—Helpful Hint
—2022 health coverage enrollment ending soon
Chapters and SIGS
—Digital Publications SIG Has Finger on the Pulse
Associated Industry News
—Index, A History of the Available to U.S. Readers in February
—Award Nominations Sought by ISC/SCI
Business and Marketing
—A Blue Light for Your Blues
Spotlight on Gwen Henson, ASI's Executive Director
ASI News
Hines Award Call for Nominations
ASI's Theodore C. Hines Award recognizes those who have made exceptional contributions to ASI and to the indexing profession. The deadline for submitting a nomination for the 2022 award is March 11, 2022. Please consider making a nomination for ASI's highest service honor!
Hines Award nominees should demonstrate a long-term and ongoing commitment to ASI and the indexing profession through service as an officer, as a board member, or in other leadership roles at the national level and/or within Chapters and SIGs. Other contributions worthy of note include active participation in national and regional conferences, web site management, publications, committees, educational activities, etc.
For details on how to submit a nomination, visit this page on the ASI website. The award, if given, will be presented at the ASI Annual Meeting in May.
2021 Salary Survey Synopsis published
Every five years, the American Society for Indexing (ASI) conducts an in-depth survey of indexers to take a snapshot of the industry including demographics, financial trends (pricing, earnings, salary data, etc.), company style, areas of growth and overall strength. This data allows members to see how their individual skills, interests, and goals can fit into the existing industry structure and how they might be able to leverage emerging trends to their advantage.
A synopsis of the 2021 survey has been published by the American Society for Indexing. When the complete report has been published, members of ASI will be able to access the full analysis of the survey data.
Thank you to everyone who responded to the survey for their vital input. Special thanks to Heather Pendley for updating the survey questions, analyzing the data, and preparing the synopsis.
Application Deadline Extended for Editorial Opportunity
The American Society for Indexing is seeking an editor for its flagship publication, Key Words, a quarterly journal. The application deadline for the position has been extended to January 7, 2022. The successful candidate will helm the indexing industry's premier source of information. Duties include content curation, contributor acquisition, and overseeing the work of the layout editor and more. For more information, visit the job posting on the ASI website.
New ASI Webinar Replay Now Available
It is important for indexers to know the reliability of resources they use for their work. However, with the rise of dis- and mis-information in the digital sphere, it is increasingly more difficult to determine source credibility. Kelly Delevan, MSIS, tackles this conundrum in her webinar "Sources: Evaluating for Reliability." The webinar, offered last September, was recorded and is now available for purchase on the ASI site. Kelly presents about mis-, dis-, and mal-information on the web; teaches indexers to identify characteristics of each type; and presents tools to quickly evaluate the credibility of online resources. Visit the ASI website to explore other available Webinar Replays.
2022 ASI Member Icon Projects Professionalism
The American Society for Indexing is committed to improving the quality of indexing and serving the needs of indexers. The organization strives to increase the visibility of the association and the indexing industry. Members of ASI can highlight their professionalism and assure their clients that they are dedicated participants in the industry by displaying the 2022 ASI Member Icon. The membership icon can be used in an email signature, added to websites, and featured on invoices and business cards.
A graphic file of the member icon can be downloaded from the ASI website and simply incorporated into indexers' communications and marketing.
Helpful Hint
Indexers, when you join ASI or renew your membership, one chapter membership is included at no additional charge. In the shopping cart, be sure to select your Chapter choice before check-out.
2022 health coverage enrollment ending soon
As a member of the American Society for Indexing, you have exclusive access to health coverage solutions for you, your family, and your business/employees from our partner, LIG Solutions. This is not group coverage—these are individual health plans that are tailored to your unique health and financial needs.
Have you secured your or your family’s health coverage for 2022? There is still time!
Open Enrollment ends on January 15th, 2022. There is an extended Open Enrollment Period (OEP) this year, all policies purchased now through January 15th will have a February 1st, 2022, effective date. If you need coverage for the beginning of the new year—contact LIG to learn your options.
For information regarding this exclusive member benefit, please view our health insurance page and find details on reaching the team at LIG.
Chapters and SIGS
Digital Publications SIG Has Finger on the Pulse
The DPI Special Interest Group has been riding the wave of the digital publication revolution since 1998, when it was known as the Web Indexing SIG. Via member surveys and close analysis of industry trends, the SIG has expanded its focus to include embedded indexing, ebook indexing, web/HTML indexing, and online documentation indexing.
In their own words, the Digital Publications Indexing SIG is "a forum for indexers who are concerned with all aspects of indexing and indexes for digital publications, including, but not necessarily limited to, indexing for digital-only publications, indexing in print-to-digital or print-and-digital workflows, as well as specific issues of embedded indexing, ebook indexing, indexing for websites, and mounting of indexes on the web."
The SIG website is a treasure trove of information and resources. With separate sections for embedded indexing, indexing for ebooks, and indexes on the web, each with its own collection of resources geared toward indexers and publishers. Pay a visit to their site and find out what they're all about.
Associated Industry News
Index, A History of the Available to U.S. Readers in February
Dennis Duncan's book Index, A History of the, which made a splash on the publishing scene last year, is set to be released in the U.S. on February 15, 2022. Pre-orders can be placed on Amazon for hardback and Kindle editions or order from your local indie bookstore. Recent marketing copy describes Duncan's book as "Charting [the index's] curious path from the monasteries and universities of thirteenth-century Europe to Silicon Valley in the twenty-first. Duncan uncovers how [the index] has saved heretics from the stake, kept politicians from high office, and made us all into the readers we are today."
The following are especially good interviews with Duncan about his book (lots of wonderful British accents as well):
- With 5x15 Stories on Youtube
- With How To Academy (podcast)
Award Nominations Sought by ISC/SCI
The Indexing Society of Canada / Société canadienne d'indexation (ISC/SCI) Ewart-Daveluy award is open for nominations until March 15, 2022. Visit the award page at the ISC site for more information.
Business and Marketing
A Blue Light for Your Blues
Drawn shades, noise canceling headphones, goose neck lamps, fingerless compression gloves, and imperiled social lives. Indexers go deep. Real deep. Like giant squids (the indisputable kohlrabi of the ocean trenches). And it gets dark down there, even gloomy. Can you blame a poor indexer for getting the blues? It happens. Seasons change, temperatures drop, the sun plays hard to get, and the clouds move in.
Seasonal Affective Disorder is a real thing, and many solitary freelancers wrestle with it. This struggle can have negative impacts on quality of work and productivity. Luckily, there are simple but effective means to limit SAD symptoms. One such treatment is light therapy, also called phototherapy or bright light therapy. There are different forms of light therapy—full spectrum, blue, red—that address various aspects of the effects of lack of sun exposure. Blue light therapy is most effective at addressing SAD symptoms. It works by positively affecting levels of melatonin and serotonin in the brain. This helps correct imbalance in circadian rhythms and can help with insomnia as well.
This webpage gives general information on light therapy and this webpage goes into more depth and offers advice on choosing a light box for home use. Try a light box to bring a little sunlight back into your office and life and keep SAD at bay. [NOTE: ASI is not a substitute for proper medical advice. Consult your physician for any treatment options before purchasing a light therapy box.]
Spotlight on Gwen Henson, ASI's Executive Director
If you would like to be in the Spotlight, or would like to nominate someone for it, please contact Daniel Heila.
January's Spotlight is on ASI's Executive Director (and Zoom Guru), Gwen Henson
Where do you live now? Do you share your home with pets or family?
I live in beautiful Tempe, Arizona, with my husband Paul. Many ASI members have met him as he often handles check-in at ASI conferences (while I meet with the board). Our adult son is living in Berlin, Germany, where he teaches Argentine tango. We adopted two rescue dogs, both German shepherd mix. They each have "jobs" to do, which helps them feel like they are contributing.
What is your educational background?
My degree is in Journalism with an emphasis in public relations and a minor in marketing and advertising, and I've completed coursework towards a graduate degree in business.
Do you have any hobbies, travels, volunteer work, or other interesting things to share?
I'm an avid reader, a passionate photographer, an off-and-on knitter, and I (normally) sing in our community chorus. We haven't been able to meet for rehearsal since March of 2020, but I facilitate Zoom events in which our director teaches us interesting things about music. Something special happens to your brain when you sing in a group, and I am really missing it! We enjoy traveling when it's possible, and I accompany Paul on fishing trips, though my "catches" tend to be photographic.
Night blooming Cereus by Gwen Henson
My background is in publishing, and I've been an executive director for other associations since '93. I formerly typeset books, edited manuscripts, and designed book covers, so I have a good understanding of the publishing workflow. I've even created indexes using a robust embedded indexing program, though my skill was in the software, not in the indexing, so they were basic.
When did you first hear about indexing?
One of the best days of my young life was when I signed up for my own library card. As a student writing papers that required research, indexes were my friends. Plus, I've worked in publishing for more than 30 years. If you're a reader, you know and value indexes. What's newer for me is a deep respect for what indexers do. Each time I facilitate a webinar or online learning course for ASI, I understand indexing better. It takes a special person to be a good indexer, and I appreciate the combination of education, insight, and experience that they bring to their work.
What drew you to ASI?
The associations I've worked with have either a direct or tangential relationship with publishing, and I like working in this industry. My role at ASI requires a unique combination of skills—an understanding of big-picture planning and an eye for detail, knowledge of publishing and business acumen, skill in member service and expertise in digital production. Thankfully, I've worked with an excellent roster of presidents and board members. That makes my work more enjoyable.
For you, what is the best advantage of ASI membership?
Many indexers I've spoken with cite the networking and relationships, and that's been a privilege for me, too, as I count many indexers as friends. In addition, I think the educational opportunities ASI offers are truly invaluable.
Finally, what is your best coping strategy for the pandemic?
Spending time with my husband continues to be my favorite thing to do, and we are content at home. When the pandemic began, I was determined to stay as healthy as possible, particularly as my mother has been staying with us. Walking with friends three days a week is both physically and emotionally beneficial. And I appreciate living in a world in which technology enables us to be connected. With my son living in Germany, talking regularly, even when we could not visit him, has been a blessing.
Comments are closed.