Thanks for everything Sydney

July 29, 2025 by
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For the last fifteen years, Sydney Chambers has managed all member indexing on Eat Your Books – assigning books, proofreading finished books and giving feedback to member indexers. She is now retiring and we want to thank her for her sterling service to the website. Her efforts have contributed to around a third of books indexed on the site being done by member volunteers.

Following a short stint as a baker’s apprentice, Sydney settled into a 35-year career as a catalog librarian in academic libraries. Soon after she discovered EYB, the member indexing program started. It sounded like the perfect opportunity to combine her interests in metadata creation and cookbooks. Her retirement hobbies will include reading cookbooks, cooking, playing with and training her dogs, and gardening in eastern Washington. She may even find the time to do some member indexing!

Her EYB email will be active for a while if anyone wishes to send her congratulations and thanks! Jenny will take over Sydney’s responsibilities and asks that all Member Indexers (even if you were assigned a book years ago) to please check their junk/spam folders for emails as she is trying to clear some unfinished books from the assignments.

I would like to add a personal note from Sydney:
It has been my pleasure to work with so many enthusiastic and diligent member indexers over the years. Together, we have helped to build Eat Your Books into the unique resource valued by EYB members around the world. I will miss interacting with all of “my” member indexers, and wish everyone well as the future chapters of Eat Your Books unfold.

Category: What's New on EYB

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30 Comments

  • JimCampbell  on  July 29, 2025

    Wow! Good luck in your new career called retirement. I’m going to miss getting my two page “Sydney-grams” after I’ve submitted a cookbook for your review.

    You have been the gatekeeper and have ensured consistency in the indexing process.

    Good luck and have fun in life…………………………..

  • averythingcooks  on  July 29, 2025

    Congratulations Sydney! Cooking, dogs and gardening sounds like a great retirement plan 🙂

  • Indio32  on  July 29, 2025

    Thanks for all you’ve done to help make this website such an indispensable service. I hope in turn that you have a long and happy retirement. Thanks again!

  • GloriaRS  on  July 29, 2025

    Best wishes to you in your retirement, Sydney. And thank you for your help with all of my indexing over the past few years!

  • Dollhouse_Cuisine  on  July 29, 2025

    Sydney, I have so enjoyed working with you over the past months (years?) and have appreciated your invaluable help. Best wishes for what sounds like a fun-filled retirement!

  • franniepie  on  July 29, 2025

    Thank you so much for your work in making EYB such an excellent service! Enjoy your retirement!

  • Shelmar  on  July 29, 2025

    from Drom John, spouse of Shelmar.

    Sydney,

    Congratulations. May your retirement be as fun as ours. I apologize for all the hassle I’ve caused.

  • reader1trees  on  July 29, 2025

    Thank you for all your hard work and dedication to making this site such a wonderful resource. Wishing you a long and happy retirement.

  • Maxineanna  on  July 29, 2025

    Hi Sydney, congratulations on your retirement – you must be very excited. Thank you very much for all your help with my indexing. I wish you all the best for a fun and relaxing retirement. Best wishes, Maxine from Cheshire.

  • Tealismyname  on  July 29, 2025

    Thank you so much Sydney for all your hard work these years!

  • Rinshin  on  July 29, 2025

    Good luck on your next phase. You were always very helpful to my inquiries.

  • anya_sf  on  July 29, 2025

    Thank you so much for your efforts, Sydney! It always brings me a little joy when another cookbook on my shelf gets indexed.

  • Therese  on  July 29, 2025

    Long-term member here, never an indexer, so grateful to Sydney and all her troops for the contribution to EYB. I’m enjoying that the comments suggest there’s been a very fun ecosystem of y’all at work in this corner of EYB . Sounds like Sydney had some naughty boys to manage too DromJohn ? Sydney-grams! With respect & thanks

  • eliza  on  July 29, 2025

    Thank you so much Sydney! I’ve indexed several books, and your messages were always encouraging, positive, and so informative. Enjoy your retirement and you will be missed.

  • dabhander  on  July 30, 2025

    Happy Retirement. You’ve made “Eat Your Books” my go-to resource whenever it’s my turn to cook.

  • FionaC  on  July 30, 2025

    I have really appreciated all your wise and timely advice when I have indexed books. Good luck with the next phase of your life Sydney!

  • anightowl  on  July 30, 2025

    Thank you Sydney for all you have done for EYB and member indexers. You were always a pleasure to work with when indexing. I hope you have a lot of enjoyment in your future endeavors!

  • TrishaCP  on  July 30, 2025

    Sydney! All the best to you on your retirement. Thank you for all of your help over the years- it is very much appreciated! Trisha

  • hbakke  on  July 30, 2025

    Thank you Sydney for your seemingly endless patience with my member indexing requests (and mistakes)! Your guidance over the years has been invaluable to myself and many others. Wishing you all the best in your retirement! 😊

  • Kinhawaii  on  July 31, 2025

    Thank you for all of your hard work & contributions to this wonderful website! I hope the next chapter of your life brings you much joy!

  • Lovestocook  on  July 31, 2025

    Hi Sydney, thank you so much for all your wonderful guidance, patience and attention to detail. It’s been a pleasure to work with you for all these years and I’ll miss those Sydney emails. Wishing you a very happy retirement.

  • monasli  on  July 31, 2025

    Congratulations on your retirement! Thank you for all you have done for EYB.

  • VirginiaJoe  on  July 31, 2025

    Wonderful career Sydney!

    While challenging, I appreciated your efforts during my brief foray into indexing.

    Joe

  • sulxbooks  on  July 31, 2025

    Any retirement that includes dogs sounds wonderful to me — congratulations and best wishes for a great retirement!

  • rmpostonmfandt  on  August 1, 2025

    Congrats Sydney and I enjoyed working with you on indexing several books! You were always kind and patient and I had fun doing it! All the best! 🙂

  • poggers  on  August 2, 2025

    Thank you, Sydney!

  • Kathymelb  on  August 2, 2025

    Well done Shirley, enjoy your well earned retirement.

  • pomona  on  August 2, 2025

    Thank you, Sydney, have a marvellous retirement.

  • e_ballad  on  August 3, 2025

    Sydney, you have been beyond amazing. Thank you for all your guidance (& patience!) as I learned the ropes of indexing. Enjoy every moment of your well-earned retirement.

  • jstearns78  on  August 3, 2025

    Congratulations Sydney! We will miss you.

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