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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And now Super Furry Animals tickets for Manchester 2026 too. Ffantastig! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿
October 3, 2025 at 9:23 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
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
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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
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
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
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
baindex.org
Busy conference weekend ahead at @indexers.bsky.social #SIConf25 (I’m presenting on humour in indexes, among other hats), then @the-ciep.bsky.social #CIEP2025 (with ‘An extra trick up your sleeve: adding book indexing to your editorial skills portfolio’). See you here or there! #Edibuddies #IndexSky
Promo image with a background photo of the exterior of a modern conference centre. Society of Indexers logo #SIConf25 Society of Indexers 2025 conference ‘The Heart and Mind of Indexing’ Friday 19 to Sunday 21 September 2025 The Writers’ Suite, Edgbaston Park Hotel & Conference Centre, University of Birmingham www.indexers.org.uk/conference-2025 Promo image with inset circular speaker photo: CIEP logo Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading I'm speaking at the CIEP Conference 2025 20–22 September Milton Keynes & online Speaker Paula Clarke Bain www.ciep.uk #CIEP2025
September 18, 2025 at 11:05 AM
baindex.org
Thanks Nina and hi Shannon. Yes, creative examples in Dennis’s book (e.g. Alejandro Cesarco’s Index series) and Hazel Bell’s Indexers and Indexes in Fact and Fiction. And I enjoy doing an unusual index (like The Frankfurt Kabuff Critical Edition @bethdriscoll.bsky.social @clairesquires.bsky.social).
Front covers of three books: – Index, A History of the (Dennis Duncan) – Indexers and Indexes in Fact and Fiction (ed. Hazel K. Bell) – The Frankfurt Kabuff Critical Edition (eds Beth Driscoll and Claire Squires)
August 1, 2025 at 7:12 PM
baindex.org
Manchester Recorder Orchestra concert tonight (Sat 19 July, 7.30pm) at Trinity Church for Buxton Fringe @buxtonfringe.bsky.social:
Prokofiev, Verdi, modern works including ‘Craft Brew’, on eight sizes of recorder from sopranino to subcontrabass. (I’m on tenor.) Come see us. We’re good! 🎶
Buxton Festival Fringe programme cover 9–27 July 2025 www.buxtonfringe.org.uk children's events • comedy • dance • film • music • spoken word • street theatre • theatre • visual arts … and more! Cover artwork: ‘Joyful’ by David Steeden, High Peak Artists – a colour illustration of artists and musicians in front of a happy crowd with orange balloons and orange bunting Buxton Fringe programme details and orchestra photo: MRO at the Fringe Manchester Recorder Orchestra MRO is back once more with a wide-ranging programme of music for large recorder ensemble. Contemporary pieces are mixed in with some Prokofiev and Verdi to guarantee something for everyone's musical taste – there's even a clarinet solo! Trinity Church (45) 19 Jul 7:30pm to 9:30pm £9 (Child Free, Conc £8), Ages 8+ Tickets on the door.
July 19, 2025 at 10:23 AM
baindex.org
Enjoyed many real and virtual freelancer meet-ups this week: @the-ciep.bsky.social Manchester local group Monday, more tips from @indexers.bsky.social Three Choirs Zoom on Wednesday, and an indexing Coffee Morning Zoom on Thursday. Important to stay connected and good fun too! #Edibuddies #IndexSky
Two of my professional membership logos in blue: – Society of Indexers Fellow logo – CIEP Advanced Professional Member logo. The i in the CIEP (Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading) logo is an upside-down exclamation mark.
July 18, 2025 at 2:09 PM
baindex.org
A great Zoom with @indexers.bsky.social today and David Green on indexing his own true crime books. He highlighted the need for discipline (against author bias and self-indulgence) and sensitivity with such material. These indexes are well *written* by a human, not compiled automatically. #IndexSky
Two true crime paperback books by David Green: The Murder of Lily White (light green cover with a photo of crossed hands superimposed on a leafy country lane) The Mad Sailor of Petersfield (blue cover with illustration of a sailor and photo of a church and road in Victorian times)
July 17, 2025 at 2:44 PM
baindex.org
In one of my happy places last night, singing and dancing along to The Charlatans at Castlefield Bowl, Manchester (with standard ‘Sproston Green’ ending). 💚
@thecharlatans.bsky.social
@tim-burgess.bsky.social
The Charlatans on stage at the end of their open-air gig at Castlefield Bowl, Manchester. The stage lights are bright green for ‘Sproston Green’, their traditional last song.
July 4, 2025 at 5:15 PM
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Well, this was not the best day to be an indexer on a train travelling via Birmingham New Street. 😐 But a good meeting at Edgbaston Park Hotel & Conference Centre discussing @indexers.bsky.social #SIConf25, a nice indexers’ lunch with @annkingdom.bsky.social and more, and now headed home.
Exterior shot of Edgbaston Park Hotel & Conference Centre in Birmingham and its outdoor seating areas on a sunny summer day.
July 2, 2025 at 5:19 PM
baindex.org
Goodbye to Vancouver, a brief hello to Iceland (plus late-night float in the Blue Lagoon) and now back home (with jet lag). Thanking @indexerscanada.bsky.social for another wonderful conference and welcome. See some of you at @indexers.bsky.social #SIConf25 and in central Canada in 2027? #IndexSky
View from a plane window of a wing and Icelandair insignia while looking down on Vancouver city, coastline, forest and mountains on departure from the airport. The Blue Lagoon spa in Iceland, with landscaped pools and bridges, milky-blue geothermal waters and steam rising from water and surrounding volcanic rocks. The sky is still quite light approaching midnight in early June.
June 6, 2025 at 6:10 PM
baindex.org
Post @indexerscanada.bsky.social conference:
– ISC/SCI President Maggie Billard, ISC/SCI Past President
@closereadingie.bsky.social, and @indexers.bsky.social Chair (me)
– hugs/dances with the phenomenal @apeaceinns.bsky.social.
Good times still ongoing here so more to follow.
Paula Clarke Bain (UK Society of Indexers Chair), Jolanta Komornicka (Indexing Society of Canada/Société canadienne d’indexation ISC/SCI Past President) and Maggie Billard (ISC/SCI President) looking happy post conference. Indexers Paula Clarke Bain and Alexandra Peace having a post-conference hug and dance in the UBC Vancouver campus venue lobby.
June 1, 2025 at 3:31 PM
baindex.org
Final @indexerscanada.bsky.social session (sob) by Max McMaster from ANZSI (Australian and New Zealand Society of Indexers) posing us thorny indexing conundrums or ‘What do I do now?’ Often no hard and fast rules, but whatever works best for the reader. Like what do you do with all these AUSSIs?
Max McMaster presenting at ISC/SCI conference, with a slide of his solution to dilemma number 6: 6 My solution was to file upper case letters before lower case letters. This gives the following results. AUSSI 2 AuSsi 12 AusSI 6 Aussi 4 aUsSi 14 ausSI 10 aussi 8
June 1, 2025 at 12:15 AM
baindex.org
Enjoying Caroline Diepeveen of the Netherlands Indexers Network at @indexerscanada.bsky.social conference on managing ‘large, larger, largest’ indexing projects (works of several volumes, with indexes into hundreds of pages). Indexing in teams, unusual decisions, and very lengthy editing stages.
Caroline Diepeveen at the ISC/SCI conference with a slide showing the book covers of some of her largest index projects including Encyclopedia of Jewish History and Culture.
May 31, 2025 at 9:35 PM
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Next up at @indexerscanada.bsky.social
Kim Christie on the Hansard index of British Columbia parliamentary debates – its index types, resources including subject authority list, and what it takes to be a Hansard indexer (a love of politics and willingness to learn how to be as neutral as possible).
Kim Christie from the Legislature of British Columbia presenting at the ISC/SCI 2025 conference by a slide of medieval courtly images and the text: History of Hansard King Edward I in Parliament
May 31, 2025 at 8:30 PM
baindex.org
Fun pre-lunch @indexerscanada.bsky.social session by Natalie Grant on pain location for remediation, i.e. getting us to move and strengthen as sedentary freelancers. Photos now exist of us all in various positions, so here’s just a non-compromising one of my new free TheraBand. 😬
A red TheraBand non-latex resistance band partly obscuring the conference timetable featuring the ISC/SCI magpie logo.
May 31, 2025 at 7:56 PM
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Great @indexerscanada.bsky.social session by Elizabeth Bartmess on AI and LLM attempts to index full-length books (with HT @tanyaizzard.bsky.social). Plus how to respond as societies and individual indexers (the ‘context artists’). ‘LLMs are not indexing a book. They are autocompleting an index.’
Elizabeth Bartmess presenting on AI at Indexing Society of Canada ISC/SCI 2025 conference with a slide with following text. LLMs’ nature • LLMs are predictive text generators • ‘Spicy autocomplete’ • They are not Indexing a book, they are autocompleting an index – they are predicting – based on statistical frequency of words in their corpus, – what a response to your prompt would likely look like – they are not going through the book and gathering all the bits of indexable material • They generate text, then generate more text, linearly • They cannot edit previously produced text • It's not surprising they don't produce good indexes. It’s not what they’re designed forl
May 31, 2025 at 6:22 PM
baindex.org
An older favourite book frock (by Pixxie Rose) for Day 2 of @indexerscanada.bsky.social’s 2025 conference at UBC Vancouver. Bring on the sessions (and my ongoing quest to multitask, note-take and live-post). #IndexSky
Full-length shot of me in a dress with a print of classic hardback book spines in many colours. (Library book dress by Pixxie Rose aka FashionablyGeekyUK on Etsy.) Close-up of the dress with hardback book spines print.
May 31, 2025 at 4:15 PM
baindex.org
Ended Day 1 of @indexerscanada.bsky.social conference with banquet dinner and then the strangest Bellini I’ve ever had, complete with wooden spoon. So strange that I had a second one to check. Quick sleep and soon ready to do it all over again.
A Bellini cocktail ice slushie of sparkling wine, peach schnapps, peach purée and red grenadine syrup, served in a dessert glass with a dried slice of lime and a wooden spoon, in a UBC Vancouver student bar.
May 31, 2025 at 6:49 AM