The Forgotten Jewel of a Good Book: A Compass to Modern Discoveries such as the Internet, Search Engines, and Generative AI

By 

Azeez ADEOYE (Wizard Librarian)

Many have argued about the place of technology, computer systems and their paraphernalia such as e-books, audiobooks, and websites, whether they are a blessing or a curse. Nevertheless, the products of past civilisations, such as the discovery of paper and the invention of the movable printing press, books, and writing itself, remain the true success stories behind all modern emerging technologies.

In earlier times, heavy reliance was placed on printed books. One of the mechanisms for identifying a good book lies in its preliminary pages and end matter. These sections serve as a compass to the book’s content and as tools for quick and easy retrieval of information, like picking a needle from a sack of hay.

The preliminary pages typically contain the abstract, executive summary, prologue, preface, table of contents, list of figures, list of tables, list of abbreviations, and acknowledgements. These are usually prepared after the main text has been completed and is camera-ready. Preparing the preliminary pages can be as demanding as writing the book itself. Evidently, if a book lacks market or scholarly value, no one would undertake the burden of crafting these essential sections. Thus, a book that contains well-prepared preliminary pages is often a pointer to a quality read.

In the same vein, the end matter is another important determinant of a good book. It includes references, appendices, an index, a glossary, blurbs, and sometimes an epilogue. These components form the foundation of modern information retrieval tools such as search engines and generative artificial intelligence systems.

In library schools, these concepts are taught extensively from the first year to the final year of study. They ground librarians in the business of book creation, processing, use, and dissemination. Further study in publishing expands this knowledge, covering the entire book production process, from idea formation to marketing and sales. These are profound skills that still command value in the digital era.

Among all genres of academic writing, writing a book is particularly energy-sapping, financially demanding, and time-consuming. Beyond the author’s mastery of the subject, often an established scholar, preferably at the Senior Lecturer cadre, there is the rigorous process of copy-editing: word by word, line by line, sentence by sentence, and paragraph by paragraph. A book is structured to build from the known to the unknown, from the simple to the complex, and from the general to the specific.

While preliminary pages may be prepared by an experienced publisher, the end matter, especially the index, requires both scientific precision and artistic judgement.

An index refers to a guide that points readers to the location of specific information within a document. A person who prepares an index is called an indexer. Becoming an indexer is not an overnight achievement. It requires structured learning, tutelage, mentorship, patience, willingness, and openness to acquire new skills.

The process of indexing follows established principles such as exhaustivity, specificity, precision and recall, and the use of coordinated or uncoordinated indexing systems, thesaurus, subject heading and authority lists. It often reflects adherence to a particular school of thought.

I, Azeez Adeoye, speak on this topic from experience. I have taught Master’s students indexing and abstracting for several years, having learned from distinguished scholars such as Dr Osarobu Emmanuel Igudia (CEO of Scholarship Publishing Firm) and Professor Clement Akange of the Library School, University of Ibadan. In addition, I earn income from indexing books and journals. In 2026 alone, I completed several indexing projects and made earnings.

An indexer views a book from both the author’s and the reader’s perspectives. It is often difficult and inadvisable for an author to index their own manuscript due to the tendency towards bias or assumptions of familiarity. A professional indexer serves as a gatekeeper between author and reader, identifying key information-bearing terms and ensuring accurate retrieval and precision in access points.

Many may downplay the skills of an indexer, yet it is this foundational knowledge that gave birth to the modern search engine and enhanced electronic information retrieval systems. To undermine the work of librarians, indexers, cataloguers, and metadata experts is to weaken the very foundation upon which computer systems, the World Wide Web, electronic databases, search engines, generative AI, and other synthetic intelligence tools are built.

The back-of-the-book index remains relevant even in electronic books where “Ctrl + F” can locate words within a document. An index reflects the quality of a book, its user-centredness, and the enduring importance of the foundational principles that sustain the state-of-the-art technologies we celebrate today.

Technology can enhance and simplify the indexing process, but one must still sit down, read the manuscript carefully, and engage intellectually with its content before producing an index that truly reflects the work. As much as we celebrate search engines and generative AI, let us not forget the jewel that beautifies and gives brilliance to the crown.