If you haven’t started already, and you’re planning on doing an index, now’s a great time to start. Although schools sometimes wait until proofs to build an index, the Herff Jones Index Builder makes the task quite easy. In fact, because the program can be run multiple times, it serves as an excellent way to generate a list of who’s been in the book how many times. It also helps catch name spelling discrepancies.
What to index? First of all, all students and faculty should be indexed whenever they appear in the book. This includes portraits and candids, as well as any time their names appear in print. Indexing programs sort through InDesign page files for names in text, so it is important to accurately name the subjects of photos, give proper attribution for quotes, and properly use names within copy. For example, names in captions should always be first name – last name. The first time a name is used in a copy block or caption, it should be written first name – last name and all subsequent instances should use last name only. By-lines and photo credits should not be indexed.
Sports, clubs and academics, however they are organized, should also be indexed.
Schools that get more ambitious also index major events (Homecoming Parade, Spring Musical) and references to the larger school community. This includes listing advertisers and other people and organizations that appear in copy and captions. Guest speakers, special events and other programs hosted by the school, when given coverage, should also be indexed.
A comprehensive index is a great way to assist the readers of your book, and is invaluable when, five or ten years from now, the book is taken from its shelf and its memories revisited.