Registration is open for the PNW Chapter’s 2026 fall meeting!
Saturday November 14, 2026, Virtual
10:00-11:30 PST, with board meeting to follow
Registration logistics are at the bottom of this post.
This year we are featuring a panel discussion on
Client Relations
With guest panelists Joanne Sprott, Judy Staigmiller, and Stephen Ullstrom
Moderated by Lisa Sorenson
Good client relations are essential to maintaining a successful indexing business. While we may spend most of our time working with the text, our communication with the client affects their satisfaction with our work and can influence whether they become a repeat customer and whether they recommend us to others. Communicating effectively with clients can be challenging, and maintaining professionalism can be difficult, especially if disagreements arise. There are common issues when considering client relations. For example:
- What to clarify with clients prior to starting work
- Communicating around errors and inconsistencies found in text
- Scheduling and schedule slippage
- Delayed communications
- Handling non-payment and delayed payment
At our panel, three experienced indexers will field questions regarding issues surrounding client relations:
- Judy Staigmiller worked as a paraprofessional in an academic library for many years. Some of her work overlapped with that of the “real” librarians, and that’s how she knew she would like indexing when she learned about it. In her spare time, she enjoys walking, hiking, reading and quilt-making.
- Joanne Sprott has been a freelance book indexer, copy editor, and proofreader since 1995. She is an expert indexer in a wide range of subjects, including business, computer programming, history, science, and travel. She is experienced in trade back-of-book indexing along with embedded indexing. Joanne lives and works in Oregon.
- Stephen Ullstrom is an indexing nerd, often noodling on how to write better indexes and how to run a better indexing business. He is the author of Book Indexing: A Step-by-Step Guide and the Indexing Matters newsletter. He lives in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Following the panel, indexers will have the opportunity to join one of three Breakout Rooms. These 15–20 minute sessions will provide time for networking and discussion. The annual Board meeting will follow the breakout rooms, after a brief break. All chapter members are welcome to attend the Board meeting!
Register here by the end of Nov 10, 2026. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with a link for non-chapter members to pay online. Follow the instructions in the email to pay. Registration is free for PNW chapter members, $5 for ASI members who are not PNW members, and $10 for everyone else. No refunds can be given for this event.
We will send the Zoom link the day before the meeting. Please direct your questions to the Planning Committee Co-Chairs (Lisa Sorenson and Elizabeth Bartmess) at meetingpnw@gmail.com.