About
My name is Shannon Marie Turner Li, and I am the sole proprietor of Li Indexing. Like most indexers, I am enthusiastic about books, and they have long fueled my passion for learning. In that spirit, I pursued advanced study of history and earned a PhD from Ohio State University, focusing on medieval monasticism, exegesis, and manuscripts. Over the course of my graduate studies, I determined that academia wasn't the right fit for me. Hoping to find a career that would still foster my intellectual curiosity, I stumbled across the wonderful world of indexing. I completed the Indexing Theory and Application course through UC Berkeley and began this journey as a freelance indexer.
In 2018 I won the Purple Pen Competition sponsored by the Institute of Certified Indexers. I am an active member and volunteer of the American Society for Indexing.
I live in Cincinnati, OH, and in my spare time I enjoy reading fiction, cooking, yoga, and playing tabletop and video games - all in the company of my husband Jimmy, our children Grace and Max, and our dog Teddy.
Brief Resume
2018 Purple Pen Competition winner - Institute of Certified Indexers
Graduate of UC Berkeley Indexing Course
PhD, History - The Ohio State University
MA, History - The Ohio State University
BA, History - Wisconsin Lutheran College
Subject Specialties
History
Medieval Studies
Religion, Theology, and Spirituality
Manuscript Studies and History of the Book
Biography
Art and Art History
Fashion History
Film Studies
Comics Studies
Culinary Arts and Food Studies
Popular Culture
Language Specialties
German
French
Latin
Publications and Presentations
“Crafting Thoughtful Main Entries in Gender and Sexuality Books,” Key Words, 32.1, Spring 2023: 13-15
“Live Indexing Demo of Scholarly Art History,” presented at ASI Conference, 2023.
“Five years a Success: A Retrospective,” Key Words, 30.4, Winter 2022: 13-15.
Monastic Experience in Twelfth-Century Germany: The Chronicle of Petershausen in Translation, translated and annotated by Alison I. Beach, Shannon M.T. Li, and Samuel S. Sutherland (Manchester University Press, 2020).
Client Testimonials
“The index Shannon built for my book not only helps to advance my overarching argument but also synthesizes threads of sub-arguments across the manuscript, using key terms and concepts distinctive to my fields. Shannon is a careful and attentive reader, and through her index, I feel seen as a scholar in a way I did not know was possible, but have found immensely affirming. She’s a delight to work with and trusting the index to her allowed me to focus on the main manuscript at the proofs stage.” (Leah Parker, Light of the Everlasting Life: Disability and Crip Eschatology in Old English Literature)