Paula Clarke Bain
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Paula Clarke Bain
@baindex.org
2.6K followers 3.5K following 670 posts
Book indexer, editor, boss at baindex.org | Society of Indexers Chair, Conference Director and Fellow | CIEP APM | See also cryptic crosswords, Cymraeg, #IndexSky | Stockport, UK

Society of Indexers 👉
@indexers.bsky.social
www.indexers.org.uk
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Paula Clarke Bain @baindex.org · Jan 7
More talk this week on AI vs human indexing. The book ‘INDEX, A History of the’ by @djbduncan.bsky.social has two indexes – a computer-generated one by automated software, and an index created by a human indexer (me). They are really not the same.
(See also @indexers.bsky.social and #IndexSky.)
A sample of the automated index from Dennis Duncan’s INDEX book, set in two columns: APPENDIX: A COMPUTER-GENERATED INDEX acquaintance, familiar, 148 acrostic form, 30 Acrosticks, 147 acrostics, 30 alphabetic, 29 Active indexes, 254 activity, 12, 58 extra-curricular, 97 Addison, 156–57, 186 hauling, 156 skewering, 157 Addison’s Book, 156 Addison’s Grand Tours, 159 Addison’s words, 156 ad hoc verbal guidepost, 255 Adjective Relative, 156 adjustment, small, 105 Adler, 203 Irene, 203 administrative apparatus, 22 admired Christopher Eccleston, 138 affectations, 30 afoot, 144, 217 Africa, 92 After-Burden, 167 afterthought, 96 Againe, 27 Agatha Christie, 39 age, 2–3, 6–7, 9, 137–38, 169–70, 186, 205, 208, 229, 232–33, 251, 254, 256 industrious, 228 old, 12 twenty-first-century, 233 age finding, 6 agent, 213 estate, 76 age of search, 51, 230, 251 age sticking, 185 aggressive coachmen, 162 Agoa, 243 Agrigento, 142 aid, 28, 30, 62, 67, 117, 191 visual, 66 A sample of the first page of the human indexer's index from Dennis Duncan’s INDEX book, set in two columns. Index Note to the gentle Reader: Page numbers in italic indicate figures. Page numbers in the form 273n1 indicate endnotes. Entries are sorted in letter-by-letter order, except where noted. This index was created by Paula Clarke Bain, who is a professional indexer and a human being. [PCB] A, a, a 77,78,79 abbreviations 38, 40, 72, 78, 79, 242 ABC Murders, The (Christie) 39 abecedaria 28, 29, 35 Abish, Walter, Alphabetical Africa 39 abstracting 4, 245, 248 accuracy 15, 64, 98, 100, 178, 252 acrostics 29, 30, 147, 311 active indexes 254 Addison, Joseph 30, 156–7, 159, 174, 186 loathes acrostics 30 portrait 154 Remarks on Several Parts of Italy 156–7 Spectator indexes 173–7 addresses to reader see introductory notes ‘Adventures of a Quire of Paper’ 171–2, 174 advertisements 42, 101, 176, 183, 186, 214, 249 Aeneid (Virgil) 39, 242, 243 Aesop's Fables 144, 146 agencies, indexing 260, 296–7n22 Age of Distraction 9, 251 Age of Enlightenment 170 Age of Industry 205-6 Age of Search 51, 233, 251 see also search Agoa, Helen S. 243 AI (Artificial Intelligence) 2, 254 aide-mémoire 66, 126 Aitken, Jonathan, goes to jail 137 Akraiphia stones 36 Aldus Manutius, Dictionarium graecum 110 Alexander of Ashby, De artificioso modo predicandi 49 Alexander the Great 30, 93 Alexandria see Library of Alexandria algorithms 100, 233, 251, 258 Alice stories (Carroll) 177–8, 180, 181 alphabet Cyrillic 45–6 Greek 29, 36, 71, 89 Hebrew 29 history of alphabets 28–30 Latin 29
Reposted by Paula Clarke Bain
indexers.bsky.social
Thinking that surely book indexing is something AI could do? Think again. @asindexing.bsky.social has released its statement on indexing using LLM-based AI tools - these tools simply don't do a good job of indexing. For a quality index, use a human indexer. buff.ly/X7Vuesc
October 7, 2025 at 8:01 AM
Reposted by Paula Clarke Bain
archelina.bsky.social
It's not just me with a new cryptic on MyCrossword this weekend! We'll be solving a couple live at 12 noon, set by Umpire @mpcryptics.bsky.social and Flush @4flush.bsky.social #CrypticSunday
twitch.tv/crypticsunday
Twitch
Twitch is the world
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October 5, 2025 at 9:00 AM
baindex.org
The Cure tickets for Manchester 2026 are in the bag. 🕸️
*celebratory twirl*
a man in a black shirt stands in front of a purple background
Alt: Robert Smith from The Cure dressed all in black and doing a slightly shambolic spin around in front of a cloudy sky background
media.tenor.com
October 3, 2025 at 8:54 AM
Reposted by Paula Clarke Bain
eddierobson.bsky.social
Super Furry Animals reuniting for a tour is my Oasis.
September 29, 2025 at 9:08 AM
Reposted by Paula Clarke Bain
djbduncan.bsky.social
I really enjoyed answering @mathewlyons.bsky.social's questions about my favourite books, which brought out patterns I hadn't noticed in the things I like. I'd recommend to anyone having a think about how you'd answer. open.substack.com/pub/mathewly...
The writer's bookshelf: Dennis Duncan
Eight questions about writers, books, and reading…
open.substack.com
September 29, 2025 at 9:00 AM
baindex.org
I’m glad to get back to joining in with this live today. Being on the other side of recent conference(s) chaos now frees up more headspace for cryptic crosswording again. Yay!
archelina.bsky.social Rachel Playforth @archelina.bsky.social · Sep 28
Just one crossword for us today on #CrypticSunday (but hoping to hand over seamlessly to @pantherapuzzles.bsky.social after that.) Join us at 12 to help solve a new one by @tpgrammar.bsky.social!
twitch.tv/crypticsunday
Twitch
Twitch is the world
twitch.tv
September 28, 2025 at 9:24 AM
baindex.org
Spectacular setting in Stockport Parish Church – St Mary's in the Marketplace for a gig and a dance at the Mercury Climbing festival finale. 💜
The exterior of St Mary's in the Marketplace church in Stockport at night, with its windows lit up in purple. The interior of St Mary’s with DJ Clint Boon and Mercury Climbing organiser Paul Austin on stage. The interior of St Mary’s church with dark purple lighting and a pre-gig crowd. The clock tower of St Mary’s church at night.
September 27, 2025 at 10:34 AM
baindex.org
A few index entries to end the week from our ‘Humour and bias in indexing’ session at @indexers.bsky.social #SIConf25. From my published index to Big Beacon by Alan Partridge (@neilgibbons.bsky.social, Rob Gibbons and Steve Coogan). #IndexSky
Conference slide with two photos of index entries and the header: Partridge index entries Society of Indexers [logo] and footer: Humour and bias in indexing Bain and Kingdom #SIConf25 [photo 1] Willoughby, Holly 115, 242 Winkleman, Claudia 268 Witter, Rosie 19 woggles, golden 21, 22, 23 wokeness 58n women angry circle of 98, 213 assistants 171 in Bodyform advert 135-6 broadcasters 42, 220, 237 ephemeral 79 friends (six) 89 lady action heroes 230 #MeToo movement 168-70 Qatari rights quibbles 153, 168 rigid hairdos of politicians 124 superb intuition about 264 trying to disrobe 120 Yentob, Alan 124 [photo 2] Seaview B&B 108-9, 113, 159 Secombe, Harry, man who looks like 99, 213 Seldom (dog) origin story 249, 251-2 first meeting 252-3, 253n first birthday 254 Coca-Cola preference 255 diet of eggs 2 diet of meats 2, 254n, 255 emergency mince 255 friendship with 76, 254-5 as Royalist 262 in Scissored Isle 131 tricky temperament 2, 3, 12n, 131, 254-5, 271 funfair incident 2-4, 12, 34, 255, 282 grief for 11-12, 12n, 28, 67n, 211, 255-6, 261, 262 heavenly transport 78 as lighthouse name 48, 277 post-death messages 34, 46, 271, 282-3 legacy 114, 282 Sex Pistols 88
September 26, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Reposted by Paula Clarke Bain
alaughinstockport.bsky.social
Join us this Thursday for another fine evening of live comedy at Thread in Stockport’s historic market place!

Thursday 25th September, 7.45pm
wegottickets.com/event/668645

#Stockport #comedy #comedyclub #theheatons #marple #edgeley #offerton #cheadle #levenshulme #manchester
A Laugh In Stockport Comedy Club | Thurs 25th September
Live stand-up comedy in the heart of Stockport! This month with: Anna Thomas is an award-winning comedian, originally hailing from Carmarthenshire, South Wales. Winner of the BBC New Comedian of the ...
wegottickets.com
September 22, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Reposted by Paula Clarke Bain
jajablonski.bsky.social
"The indexers have dispersed now . . . ."

On the day before the rapture thing? Ominous. Who made it on to the main- and sub-headings lists then?

#IndexerHumor
indexers.bsky.social Society of Indexers @indexers.bsky.social · Sep 22
The indexers have dispersed now as #SIConf25 is over. Profuse thanks to the Conference Committee: @baindex.com, Caroline Diepeveen, @nicolaking.bsky.social, Ann Kingdom, Sharon Laverick and Beverley Winkler for creating such an enjoyable conference, and to all the presenters & participants.
September 23, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Reposted by Paula Clarke Bain
inkyfingertips.bsky.social
Seeing all the posts about the @indexers.bsky.social conference has made me realize how much I enjoyed the @indexerscanada.bsky.social conference this summer. It's so rare for me to drop into a group of strangers and immediately feel comfortable. Hoping to go to the SI one someday!
September 23, 2025 at 3:09 PM
baindex.org
Back from a wonderful weekend at @indexers.bsky.social #SIConf25 and @the-ciep.bsky.social #CIEP2025. Big general thanks for now to all involved. It’s been hard but fun to give two different presentations at two conferences in under 24 hours, and glad to complete the challenge. Now for a big sleep.
Paula Clarke Bain presenting at Society of Indexers #SIConf25 conference in Birmingham on ‘Humour and bias in indexing’ by a screen slide showing the front cover of Alan Partridge: Big Beacon, which she indexed. She is wearing a book-print dress. A display screen in an empty conference room showing a blue and white slide with the text: Welcome CIEP Conference 2025 The Value of the Editorial Profession CIEP logo Our sponsors PerfectIt (logo) Society of Indexers (logo) A closed door with room number G23 and a display board with text: An extra trick up your sleeve: adding book indexing to your editorial skills portfolio Paula Clarke Bain 9.15am-10.15am CIEP logo Paula Clarke Bain presenting at Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading #CIEP2025 conference in Milton Keynes on ‘Another trick up your sleeve: adding book indexing to your editorial skills portfolio’, under 24 hours later. She is by a slide showing her meeting various people through indexing connections such as Nick Cave, Dennis Duncan, Sam Leith, Alan Partridge (Steve Coogan in full character), Alex Peace and Caroline Sanderson. Paula is wearing a different book-print dress.
September 23, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Reposted by Paula Clarke Bain
exterindexing.bsky.social
I just returned from Birmingham, where I spoke at the Society of Indexers (@indexers.bsky.social) conference #SIConf25. It was a great conference!
September 22, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Reposted by Paula Clarke Bain
indexers.bsky.social
The indexers have dispersed now as #SIConf25 is over. Profuse thanks to the Conference Committee: @baindex.com, Caroline Diepeveen, @nicolaking.bsky.social, Ann Kingdom, Sharon Laverick and Beverley Winkler for creating such an enjoyable conference, and to all the presenters & participants.
September 22, 2025 at 8:15 AM
baindex.org
Another day, conference, and 9.15am presentation. 😬 Now at Kents Hill Park in Milton Keynes for @the-ciep.bsky.social’s #CIEP2025. I’m running a breakout session on ‘Another trick up your sleeve: adding book indexing to your editorial skills portfolio’, with a live indexing exercise for all.
A CIEP conference delegate speaker badge and lanyard on top of session materials including a resources page, text extract, index entry input sheet, and ‘Commissioning an Index’ leaflet from the Society of Indexers.
September 22, 2025 at 7:30 AM
baindex.org
We did it! @annkingdom.bsky.social and I speaking on ‘Humour and bias in indexing’ at @indexers.bsky.social #SIConf25 conference. I got @alaughinstockport.bsky.social
and @murderinccomedy.bsky.social in there. 😀
Ann Kingdom presenting at Society of Indexers 2025 conference in front of her introductions slide and a photo of Brilliant Creatures by Clive James. Paula Clarke Bain presenting at Society of Indexers 2025 conference in front of her introductions slide and a photo of Murder Inc performers at A Laugh In Stockport comedy club.
September 21, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Reposted by Paula Clarke Bain
indexers.bsky.social
Fascinating session at #SIConf25 from Ruth Martin on indexing emotions and the emotions of indexing. Ruth identifies the human qualities of empathy and intuition as indexing superpowers.
September 21, 2025 at 11:51 AM
baindex.org
First up on the third and final day of @indexers.bsky.social #SIConf25 are @annkingdom.bsky.social and me on ‘Humour and bias in indexing’. We hope to entertain, make people think, and keep everyone awake at 9.15 on a conference Sunday morning.
A PowerPoint title slide with illustration of the two comedy and tragedy drama masks, with the laughing mask in green and the crying mask in purple. Humour and bias in indexing Paula Clarke Bain and Ann Kingdom Society of Indexers logo information from A to Z And footer: Humour and bias in indexing Bain and Kingdom #SIConf25
September 21, 2025 at 8:07 AM
baindex.org
I enjoyed chairing this author panel session featuring Society of Indexers Honorary President @carosanderson.bsky.social, Jane Calvert, and the always-welcome @djbduncan.bsky.social at @indexers.bsky.social #SIConf25. Some excellent discussions here between the authors and the indexers.
exterindexing.bsky.social Madelon Franssen @exterindexing.bsky.social · Sep 20
It is kind of terrifying having one of your clients speak during the "working with authors" panel discussion, but this worked out really well! Thank you, Jane, for your kind words! #SIConf25
September 21, 2025 at 7:28 AM
baindex.org
A great challenge to index The Claremont Run: Subverting Gender in the X-Men by J. Andrew Deman @claremontrun.bsky.social.
Eight indexers have made indexes to this, with author permission, including original indexer @closereadingie.bsky.social. An amazing experience.
@indexers.bsky.social #SIConf25
indexers.bsky.social Society of Indexers @indexers.bsky.social · Sep 20
For our next keynote, we had a panel discussion where Jolanta Komornicka, Ruth Martin, Rob Gibson and @baindex.com have all indexed the same text, a scholarly book about gender in the X-men comic series. As always, it's fascinating to see how individual indexers approach a text #SIConf25
September 21, 2025 at 7:03 AM
baindex.org
Excellent start to @indexers.bsky.social #SIConf25 day 2 with ‘Adapting with Agility: How Indexing Societies are Responding to Al Challenges’ from @tanyaizzard.bsky.social plus JoJo Chen from the China Society of Indexers via Zoom. We are coordinating approaches as individuals and societies.
Tanya Izzard in person and JoJo Chen on screen presenting on AI issues at the Society of Indexers 2025 conference.
September 20, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Reposted by Paula Clarke Bain
indexers.bsky.social
Our first keynote for Day 2 of #SIConf25 looks at how indexers and indexing societies can respond to the change and challenges of AI. JoJo Chen and Tanya Izzard give the Chinese and UK perspectives.
September 20, 2025 at 8:11 AM
Reposted by Paula Clarke Bain
indexers.bsky.social
Anya Somerville from the House of Commons Library gives our first keynote, on indexing the proceedings of Parliament #SIConf25
September 19, 2025 at 1:14 PM
Reposted by Paula Clarke Bain
exterindexing.bsky.social
Arrived in Birmingham for #SIConf25 yesterday evening. Lovely to see friends again and talk about nothing but #indexing for the next three days!
September 19, 2025 at 9:55 AM
baindex.org
On the road to Edgbaston Park for @indexers.bsky.social #SIConf25. Here’s a sneak peek into my book bag for what I’ll be talking about in my ‘Humour and bias in indexing’ session with @annkingdom.bsky.social. See everyone soon! #IndexSky
A purple and white Penguin Books tote bag in the lap of an indexer in a book print dress, with the following books spilling out: But Doctor, I AM a Collection of Comic Strips by Paul Savage Fab Fools by Jem Roberts How Mumbo-Jumbo Conquered the World by Francis Wheen The Frankfurt Kabuff eds Beth Driscoll and Claire Squires Big Beacon by Alan Partridge Index, A History of the by Dennis Duncan Laughter and Ridicule by Michael Billig
September 19, 2025 at 8:54 AM