Book indexes in France Medieval specimens and modern practices

Subject indexes are believed to have been invented in France in the 13th century, yet many modern French books lack such indexes. A two-pronged research project conducted in France in July 1999 aimed to examine manuscripts of the earliest indexes in libraries throughout the country and interview book publishers to determine their indexing policies. Manuscript book indexes produced in France, primarily in the Latin language and in the domain of religion, are works of extraordinary beauty, with precise locators and many design features that help to orientate the reader. This paper analyses the structure and format of these indexes with respect to contemporary practice. Where modern French books contain indexes, they are generally compiled by authors, who are not trained in book indexing by publishers. Few book publishing contracts mention indexes, and there is no professional society devoted to book indexing in France.