Indexing Society of Canada

Behind the screen look at decolonization of terms

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Last December, one of the topics that came up on the ISC-L list was the need to decolonize terms in the library classification system. In the ensuing thread, we heard that work was underway, driven mainly by the Canadian Federation of Library Associations (CFLA-FACLA).

So, what is this work? Following up on the report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the CFLA-FACLA formed a Truth and Reconciliation Committee to advance the Calls to Actions. In 2017, the Committee delivered an 87-page report. The report presents 10 over-arching recommendations and many detailed recommendations along four tracks, designed to help libraries in their efforts to advance reconciliation.

Work is indeed underway. We are thrilled to have the Chair of the Committee, Camille Callison, join us at the conference on Ottawa May 24-25. Camille will be accompanied by Katherine Kasirer, Senior Librarian at the National Film Board. They will give a joint keynote presentation on a special decolonization project: “A Behind-the-Screen Look at the Indigenous Knowledge Materials Classification Schema (IMCS) Implementation during the Creation of NFB’s Indigenous Cinema”.

You can register for the conference here.

Special Projects has been busy and we’re ready for more

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The ISC/SCI has, over the years, accumulated surplus funds. Some of these funds will be kept aside as a reserve in case of deficit. That still leaves some extra funds that we can spend.

The Special Projects Committee was formed in 2017 to assess projects for ISC/SCI to spend money on. The committee sent out a request for proposals and received several interesting ideas and comments that were gratefully received.

[restrict]The committee researched one idea—a bursary for a structurally disadvantaged person that would monetarily help with an indexing course, a mentorship, and membership fees. At the last executive committee meeting, Special Projects presented their research and made a recommendation that the ISC/SCI spend money on this project. The recommendation was discussed, accepted, and passed on to the Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity committee for further research and execution.

The Inclusion, Diversity and Equity committee (TIDE) is looking for a few people to help develop and administer the bursary. If you are interested please contact Siusan Moffat.

We are now considering which idea to research next and we’re interested in your input. While we have some ideas in the bank, we would also like to invite you, the members, to submit any ideas you might have that would benefit the membership. Please send an email with your idea and how it might benefit the members to the Special Projects Committee.

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Parliamentary information

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House of Commons
Credit: Makaristos on Wikipedia

The House of Commons, Canada’s lower house of Parliament, is steeped in tradition. But progress carries on. When television cameras were installed in the 1970s, news coverage was changed forever, and arguably so were debating styles and citizens’ impressions of politicians.

Now renovations on the House of Commons original workplace have begun. When Centre Block reopens after 10 years, every aspect of the building and its systems will have been upgraded. Who can guess at the impact of these changes?

A recent change that has had a deep impact is the development of the House of Commons’ integrated system to record, publish, and manage parliamentary information. In our conference in Ottawa May 24-25, Alexandre Grandmaître and Martine Rocheleau from the House of Commons will explore how this technological change has turned indexing into information management, how business processes were adapted accordingly, and what challenges they face going forward.

Sunday Workshop

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Names: The Challenge of Indexing

Presented by Enid L. Zafran

Date and time: May 26, 2019, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Place: 12th Floor Desmarais Building, 55 Laurier Avenue E.
Cost: $105 Canadian (includes lunch)

Enid’s workshop was amazing! As expected, it was of tremendous help to new indexers, but even experienced indexers left the workshop quite pleased with what they had learned. Don’t miss your last chance to learn from the master.

—Connie Binder, chapter chair ASI Mid-Atlantic Chapter, January 2019

No matter what field of indexing you specialize in, no matter how long you have been an indexer, names always present a challenge. In addition to names of people, other types of proper names are considered, including major events, legal materials, titles, book characters, etc.

In this day-long workshop, Enid Zafran will consider names indexing from three aspects:

  • the strategies to make them into index entries,
  • determining when a name is “indexable,”
  • the correct formatting and sorting of names of various types.

There will be hands-on exercises during the day (no laptop or software required).

This workshop was given for the first time in Chicago in October 2018.

Enid covered so many different naming principles that challenged us and illuminated our knowledge. Everyone who attended was enthralled with the presentation from this veteran indexer.

—conference participant

Note that this is the final time this workshop will be offered at a conference, so be sure to add this day to your conference time when signing up!

Return to conference page

ISC/SCI Conference Program Announced

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The ISC/SCI has set the program for the 2019 conference taking place in Ottawa on May 24 and 25.

In keeping with the conference theme, Beyond the Page—New Platforms, New Realities, the program offers a variety of topics that are timely and informative for new and experienced indexers alike.

Sessions on indexing practices include working with scholarly texts (Enid Zafran), biography and memoirs (Kendra Millis), structuring indexes (Fred Liese), and editing indexes “from the get-go” (Anne Fifer). Kate Mertes will talk about a growing and profitable market that you’ve probably never heard: of the indexing of locora.

Special sessions taking us “beyond the page” include

  • solutions toward decolonizing access and classification presented by a panel from the Indigenous Matters Committee of the Canadian Federation of Library Associations (they raised this issue in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Committee report)
  • a step into the world of parliamentary information—an underpinning of informed democratic engagement—with Martine Rocheleau and the House of Commons indexers on intelligence-based search
  • a discussion of ethics presented by Christine Jacobs and a panel of indexers and editors
  • business practices by Pierre Joyal
  • techniques that will change the way you work—physically and mentally—to restore energy and reduce stress, in a mini-workshop given by Ruth Paulauskas, founder of BreathWoRx

Following the conference on May 26 is a full-day workshop “Names: The Challenge of Indexing” by Enid Zafran.

Conference packages are available for Friday-only, Saturday-only, or both days. Full-time students receive a special reduced rate. As a reminder, we have discounted rates for accommodations.

Early Bird pricing is on now until April 15. Visit the conference page for the full conference agenda and links to the registration form.