The ANZSI Indexing Awards, including the ANZSI John Simkin Medal, usually take place at two-yearly intervals. The 2020 awards were deferred until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2021 winners were announced in February 2022.
Nominations are now sought for the 2024 awards:
- Nomination form (Word)
- Nomination form (PDF)
- Judging criteria summary
Please direct any enquiries to the ANZSI Indexing Awards Committee Receiving Officer
Medal winners since 1985
Highly Commended indexes
The ANZSI John Simkin Medal
ANZSI offers a Medal for an outstanding index to a book or periodical compiled in Australia or New Zealand. The ANZSI John Simkin Medal, previously known as the ANZSI Medal, has since 2014 been named 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.
The Judging Panel comprises experienced indexers, editors, librarians and publishers. The award is offered biennially, but not necessarily awarded. Judges may decide that no entry merits award of the Medal; more than one medal may be awarded when two or more indexes are judged to be outstanding, or no award may be made. The Medal and a certificate are presented to the indexer and the publisher receives a certificate. Judges may also recommend the award of one or more ‘Highly Commended’ certificates but are not compelled to do so.
To be eligible for nomination, an index must be in print and normally must have been first published no earlier than three years prior to the year in which the award is made. However, owing to delays associated with COVID, in 2021 the awards covered works published in or after 2017. The index must have been compiled in Australia or New Zealand even though the text to which it refers may have originated elsewhere.
For the Medal, indexes are judged at the level of outstanding professional achievement, thus sufficient material is required, both in quality and quantity, for appraisal. The index should be substantial in size, the subject matter should be complex, and the language, form and structure of the index should demonstrate the indexer’s expertise as well as serving the needs of the text and the reader.
Publishers, indexers and all interested persons may nominate indexes which meet the criteria, and which they regard as worthy of consideration. Indexers are encouraged to nominate their own works.