How We Became Indexers

By Phil Roberts, Feb 28, 2024

: On this day in 1986, I began a job—quite by accident—that made enough money to pay off student debts and put a sizable down payment on a house, the one we still live in. I had volunteered to help that Saturday in organizing a huge new accession of movie posters for the Pacific Northwest Collection in Suzzallo Library (photo is of interior of one room I later called my “office” when I was a doctoral student). But in those days, during the week, I worked as a shelver in the closed collection. Also volunteering that day were Gary, Richard, and Carla. As we worked, the telephone rang. Gary answered and after a brief conversation, asked if any of us knew anything about indexing—and computers. I had a smart-alecky answer that I “use indexes all the time.” Gary said, “Then this call is for you.” Turned out to be Marty, a computer manual writer who was living out on the islands. After a brief conversation in which I assured him I knew “everything” about computers and indexing (or at least could figure it out–we needed the money), he hired us to index that book and we did it so well (and so quickly) that became “regulars” for him and for McGraw-Hill, West Coast division. Work was intense—deadlines could be a matter of hours. Hard copy of the book would be “over-nighted” to us. Final index would be returned via telephone modem—primitive in the beginning years. Have to drop everything to index, even including sleeping. Payment by page count. But it was lucrative. Once made some $4,000 over a single weekend (24-hour days straight through). Is it any wonder that the plaque we ordered next to the front door gives the street address for “Index House”? The other picture is the doormat, made special for our house, featuring figures of some of our favorite cats.

Got proficient enough, in order to do international indexes, joined indexers’ guild. Went on to index for many colleagues and for such places as American University in Cairo Press (at least a dozen books) and some 10 other presses, including Bedford Books and University of Washington Press. Work made “redundant” as computers improved. But a fateful phone call that Saturday morning long ago…

(Suzzallo interior photos by David L. Roberts; doormat photo by Phil Roberts)