The Australian and New Zealand Society of Indexers (ANZSI) invites publishers, booksellers, editors, librarians, indexers and interested persons to provide nominations for the John Simkin Medal 2023. Indexers are encouraged to submit their own work. The award recognises an outstanding index to a book or periodical compiled in Australia or New Zealand. Highly commended certificates may also be awarded to excellent indexes.
ANZSI Indexing Awards were instituted in 1985. The highest award, previously known as the ANZSI Medal, was renamed in 2014 in honour of John Simkin, one of the founding members of the society. John promoted the ideals of indexes and indexing throughout his 40-year association with the society, and the medal acknowledges his contribution to indexing. Many highly commended certificates have also been awarded.
Eligibility of published works
To be eligible for the 2023 awards, the book or periodical index must be commercially available and have an imprint date of 2020 or later. The index must have been compiled in Australia or New Zealand, although the text to which it refers may have been published elsewhere.
Eligibility of index
To attain the medal an index must be of the highest calibre. The index must be entirely the indexer’s own work. The index should be substantial in size, the subject matter complex, and the language, form and structure should demonstrate the indexer’s expertise in serving the primary needs of the text and the reader. There are no restrictions on the subject matter of the book. The book may be in paper or electronic format.
Nomination process
Nominations are confidential and anonymous, in that nominees’ names are known only to the Receiving Officer, not to the Judging Panel. Nomination forms are available at the ANZSI website.
A completed nomination form together with a print copy of the book, or a link to the electronic file of both book and index, is required. Print books will be returned after judging.
Nominations must be received no later than 5pm AEST, Friday 30 June 2023 at GPO Box 2069, Canberra ACT 2601 Australia or (in the case of digital books) by email to the Receiving Officer at receivingofficer@anzsi.org
Nominators who have posted books must advise the Receiving Officer by email that they have done so. All nominations received will be acknowledged by email to the nominator.