How do I make a simple index for finding names and subjects in a keepsake catalog?

Treat the index as a finding aid, not a second description of every keepsake. Give each catalog entry a stable identifier, such as K001 or BOX2-014, and use that same identifier in the index. Add useful access points—people, places, events, and subjects—only when the item or its catalog entry supports them. The index does not need to explain who someone was or what happened.

A simple line can follow this pattern:

Heading — entry ID; entry ID

For example, assuming hypothetical entry K014 describes a card that names “[Name A]” and refers to “[Place A]” and “[Event A],” the index could include:

[Name A] — K014 [Place A] — K014 [Event A] — K014

Use one alphabetized list or separate lists for people, places, events, and subjects. Label sections and apply your choice consistently. In one list, a type marker such as (person) can distinguish headings that might otherwise be ambiguous.

Separate what is visible in the item from what you think it might mean. If a name is legible but you cannot identify the person, index it as written without guessing an identity. If the writing itself is unclear, mark that uncertainty in the catalog note and, when useful, in the index.

For example, assuming a hypothetical entry K021 contains a partly readable label, its description might say: “Label appears to read ‘[Name B]’; reading uncertain.” The index could say:

[Name B] (uncertain reading) — K021

If only part of a name can be read, use a placeholder such as [unclear] consistently rather than completing it from context. Keep the visible spelling or wording where possible. “Possibly [Name C]” is different from stating “[Name C]” as certain.

Choose one heading for terms that the catalog supports as referring to the same thing. Don’t assume similar names refer to the same person. When you have a basis for linking terms, use a cross-reference from the alternate wording to your chosen heading.

For a hypothetical example where the catalog identifies both terms as the same person:

[Name D] — see [Preferred heading] [Preferred heading] — K008; K019

You can use the same approach for subject terms if you choose one preferred term. Use “see” when the reader should go to another heading rather than treat the terms as separate lists. If both headings provide useful access, include both and connect them with “see also.” Prioritize likely search terms instead of making a cross-reference for every wording variation.

Write a few rules at the top of the index or in a separate note: identifiers must match the catalog; headings use the item’s wording unless you document a preferred heading; uncertain readings are marked; and every entry points to a catalog identifier. Add index lines as you catalog items.

Check for identifiers that do not exist in the catalog, repeated headings with different spellings, and cross-references to missing headings. If an item’s description changes, review its index terms too. Include terms that help someone find an item, not every word in its description.

A plain-text or spreadsheet layout could use Heading, Type, Catalog ID, and Note or cross-reference columns. A hypothetical row might be [Name B] | person | K021 | uncertain reading. Replace bracketed examples and sample IDs with your own wording and identifiers.