Finding content in The Indexer survey: background

Abstract

An online survey asking readers how they find content in The Indexer was launched on National Indexing Day (30 March) in 2022. The aim was to fill a gap in knowledge about how easily the past 60-odd years of back issues can be searched and to determine the best approach for making content findable into the future. While preparing that survey, we considered the various indexes and databases available, and thought about who the journal’s readers might be. We also reflected on the lack of response to a previous attempt to gather feedback on how the indexes to the journal were used. This article provides that background to the survey and explains our purpose in conducting it. Results of the survey will be published in a future issue of the journal.