Someone was having a sale, so I might have just spent $18.65 for a massive haul of 4,500 4 x 6″ index cards. 🗃️ Happy New Year indeed!🥂🎆🥳
Could one go as far as to say that the ten commandments (numbered notes) presumably etched onto stone tablets (slips) and placed into the ark of the covenant (a box) and which coherently formed the basis of knowledge and living a good life for the twelve tribes was a zettelkasten?
Why not?
On the seventh day of the siege of Jericho, the Ark of the Covenant is carried around the city, horns are blown and the walls collapse (Josh 6:20-25).
Extract from Latin Psalter from England – BSB Hss Clm 835, fol. 21r. Oxford, 1st quarter of the 13th century
Source: München, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Card Index Expenses 2023
Index card storage (boxes): $404.59
Index cards (3,650 cards) $87.56
Tabbed dividers/accessories $73.05
Total: $565.20
In the documentary Kevin Hart & Chris Rock: Headliners Only (Netflix, 2023) while preparing for a portion of their tour, Kevin Hart admires a portion of Chris Rock’s stand up comedy method and calls it “a science”. Chris Rock writes headlines for his jokes on slips of paper and then arranges them on either tables or small bulletin boards to outline his set list for presenting jokes for his performances.
If there are interesting contemporaneous news items which appear, he’ll include a newspaper or other material to represent the related joke for inclusion into his set. This makes a fascinating means of outlining his material and seems to fall within the realm of my search for zettelkasten output processes. Even if Rock doesn’t use index cards to write or store his jokes like comedians in the past have, he’s using a slip-based method for outlining and arranging them as part of his output process.
Kevin Hart: Chris, I’m so… I’m so, uh blown away by what I’m discovering that is your process.
Chris Rock: My process.
Kevin Hart: This all your shit?
Chris Rock: Well, this here would be, uh, bullet points for tonight. Every card represents a joke or a reference that I choose. I don’t wanna forget. You know what I mean? Like, you can remember all your jokes, but some nights, I’m like, ‘ehhh, I’m not gonna close with this one. I’m gonna close with that one’.
Kevin Hart: You have it down to a science where you can bullet point the time.
Chris Rock: You can. And by the way, sometimes, something happens in the news.
Kevin Hart: You got jokes on the bench.
Chris Rock: I have jokes on the bench.
Kevin Hart: I’m going to tell you I’m not only impressed by that, but I’m disappointed in myself. Because, uh, whatever I got, got to to fly.
Continuing on with my bullet journal-like Memindex practice using 4 x 6 inch index cards for 2024. Happy to continue answering questions about it for the curious.
@GMJuditPolgar, I’m doing some research for a book on note taking traditions, commonplace books, and zettelkasten/card indexes. In watching an interview of you with Christiane Amanpour from 2020 I noticed a photo of you next to a card index while playing chess. Do you have 15-20 minute for a short interview to talk about it and how you compiled and used it?
I’m slowly coming to realize that handwriting or typecasting to my website means that I am left with a permanent, physical copy of my post which I can archive into a physical card file. I can file them by date to create a version of a diary, and/or I can file them by taxonomy so that I might reuse the ideas at a later date zettelkasten-style.
After IndieWebCamp San Diego this weekend, I’m thinking more about making it easier to post to my website using handwritten text. Index cards are particularly useful for short notes and status updates for this.
Christmas has come early this year! This is so much better than a lump of coal. Thanks Santa. 🎅🏼🗃️
Happy birthday Niklas Luhmann. Today he would have been 96 years old. 🎂🗃️
I feel validated that I’m not the only one in love with their wooden card catalog:
The script for my Niklas Luhmann movie is coming along nicely. After watching some of Ned Ballamy‘s work, I’m thinking that he’d be the natural lead… #zettelkasten
Amidst my seemingly ever-growing collection of index card boxes and trays, I’ve been contemplating getting something that would store cards in a vertical orientation rather than the traditional horizontal. As I’ve been watching the market over the past couple of years, nothing had really come up that suited the bill until this past summer.
That’s when I saw a small handful of what are known as library charging trays pop up.
What is a library charging tray?
These library charging trays were traditionally used in libraries in the mid to late-twentieth century at the circulation desk. A librarian would remove the book card from the pocket adhered to one of the inside covers of the book. This card would identify the book’s author and title and generally have a list of borrower’s names along with either the due date or the return date, or sometimes both. Once filled out, the card would be placed vertically in the charging tray behind a tab indicating its due date. The librarian would then place a due date card into the empty pocket with a stamped due date on it. Alternately some of these pockets may have been printed with grids into which a due date would be stamped.
The library would then have in their charging tray an ordered list of checked out books which they could later use to follow up on if they became overdue.
Upon return of the book from the patron, the librarian would then be able to match up the title and stamped due date in the pocket with that from the card in the charging tray and refile the book card into the pocket of the appropriate book before returning it to the shelves for the next patron.
Models and Materials
Most charging trays I’ve seen range from 1 row of cards and have gone up to 5 rows. Most common are 2 and 3 row models.
I’ve yet to see older trays made out of oak. Most seem to be from the 1960s onward and are often constructed of maple. Gaylord Brothers and Remington-Rand seem to have been the primary manufacturers of these, but it’s possible that other companies may have made them as well.
One tray has two rows for cards while the other has three. The double tray is definitely manufactured by Gaylord Bros, Inc. and still has the original manufacturer’s sticker on the bottom. The other is unmarked and is most likely a Gaylord too as Remington-Rand typically put a small metal badge on most of their products. This one not only doesn’t have that traditional badging, but also doesn’t have any telltale nail holes where it may have originally been. The double tray has 12 1/2″ of internal space for cards in each row and the triple has 10 3/4″ in each row which would give them enough space to hold approximately 3,500 and 4,500 index cards respectively.
The double tray seems almost new despite some minor wear. (We all know how rough those librarians can be.) The triple tray shows more signs of wear including some old labeling with handwriting that provides a fun level of patina.
New uses for library charging trays
Naturally one could immediately consider using these trays to hold index cards for their note taking and filing practices. This is particularly useful for those who might appreciate a physical zettelkasten form factor for using vertically oriented 3 x 5″ index cards. (I’ve never seen a charging tray made for 4 x 6″ index cards and would suspect they never existed.)
Beyond this, those who are into the idea of maintaining a hipster PDA or who have 3 x 5″ index cards for general productivity purposes would certainly appreciate these boxes for their filing and archiving needs. If you’re unfamiliar with these sorts of practices see my article about The Memindex Method. A charging tray would certainly make an excellent home for a modern day Memindex practice. Pair it with an index card wallet and you’re off to the races as if you were living back in 1903.
What other functions could these trays be upcycled for? I’m curious to hear others’ ideas here.
Finding Charging Trays
Used/Vintage Charging Trays
With the digitization of most library circulation processes the noble charging tray has generally gone out of fashion. At the height of their use, most libraries didn’t really need many of them, so they were never as ubiquitous in the broader market the way other card index boxes and cabinets were. As a result it’s rarer to see them on the secondary/used market in comparison to their brethren. When you do find them, it’s more likely that you’ll see them incorrectly listed as card index drawers. I suspect it would be incredibly rare that a second hand seller would know what they actually were, but even if they did, the key words in their name mean dramatically different things now which swamp the search engine optimization algorithms with things which patently are not these boxes.
This means long search times and patience to attempt to track them down. I’ve seen several listed as “rare” which they are to some degree, but not as rare as most sellers think they are in terms of pricing. They primarily seem rare because no one knows what to call them and as a result pricing can be all over the map. I’ve seen some two and three drawer versions listed for $300 and up. For a more reasonable reference I got both of mine for a total of $60 and a very modest shipping charge. I’ve seen one or two others sell for $20 to $30 each. A couple of trays I saw in Spring 2023 which listed for several hundred are still gathering dust on vintage store shelves.
New Charging Trays
If you don’t have the patience to get something vintage, you might try purchasing new charging trays from Brodart. According to my research, they’re the only player left making and selling them outside of one online retailer in India offering a 5 tray model for for 2″x3″ and 3″x5″ cards for about US$50.
Sadly, Brodart has had some ongoing issues with their online web store this fall, so one would need to download a copy of their catalog and order via email, phone, or fax. In my physical copy of their most recent catalog they appear in the Processing and Circulation section on page 137. They offer both single and double trays in either a light or a darker finish. Prices for them range from US$76.76 to 149.06. The smaller trays will fit 600 cards with the larger trays fitting 1,000 cards each. Given their size, they might make for rather elegant desktop boxes. On that same catalog page Brodart also conveniently offers green pressboard card guides (dividers) which are either plain or labeled with the months of the year in a vertical 5″ tall by 3″ wide configuration. Separately they have some manila dividers with 1/3 cut alphabet tabs (A-Z) for helping you to sort and separate your cards.
For those who might prefer to use these in a zettelkasten practice, Brodart also makes borrower’s cards and book cards in a range of light to medium-weight card stock (similar to index cards) which are pre-printed with a range of metadata fields common to these types of cards (author, title, date loaned, borrower’s name, date returned, date due, room number, etc. Most of these cards are listed on catalog pages 128 and 129. Some of these would be particularly useful for making bibliography cards which would use some of these preprinted data fields. The date and patron portions could then be used to note page numbers and either quotes from the text/one’s own ideas respectively. All these cards are conveniently lined for writing your notes. Naturally one could just as easily use their own 3 x 5″ index cards of choice in a vertical orientation.
I’m tending to lean more toward telling students to rely more directly on something like Cornell notes while they’re in classes learning the basics of an area. Too many students considering starting a Luhmann-artig zettelkasten think that they ought to write down everything, atomize it, and link it which would take an inordinate amount of time to those new to the process. This is particularly troublesome because most courses (especially introductory ones) are designed such that much of the material should be fully internalized by the time the course is over. When you take a math class you might learn what 2+2 is and make a note about it, but by the time the course is over, that idea should now be so basic that keeping it in your system should be a bit laughable. Spending time to excerpt it from a lecture, make it atomic, and interlink it is a lot of make-work that isn’t likely to be useful either for the learning the thing to begin with, much less remember it in the long run to potentially use it again.
Once one has mastered most of a course, they might profitably skim through their notes at the end to summarize outcomes they saw and find most useful and interesting. Those things along with the summaries of their Cornell notes might then be useful zettels to keep in the long run. A zettelkasten practice like that of Niklas Luhmann is more useful when one already has a strong lay of the land and they’re attempting to do the work of expanding on the boundaries of new areas of knowledge.
If you are a student contemplating creating a zettelkasten, then the bulk of your notes probably ought to be short snippets kept with your bibliography notes and should not be individual zettels. By this I mean specifically that you might have a bibliographic note (reference note or literature note) for each individual lecture with some fleeting notes about it kept with that card. Then if necessary, you’ll probably only have one or two zettels or permanent notes out of each lecture. If you’re attempting to create 30 permanent notes a day and interlink them all, then you’re going to find yourself overworked and overwhelmed within just a few days.
I’ve had an oddly large number of emails over the past few months asking me for advice about what sorts of index card cases and carrying options I use on a daily basis. Rather than tip out my zettelkasten in fits and spurts on the topic, I thought I’d pour out all those ideas out here instead.
If you’re all-in on the ever-growing neo-index card lifestyle, then you should really work at adding some actual style to your fichier boîte practice. If your note taking has you going through cards like water, you’ll likely want something to carry them on the go, and often it can be useful, especially in meetings, to have something that not only looks nice, but will hold up through heavy use over the years. Maybe you want something fashionable to fit the change of seasons? Something to suit the occasion whether it’s a corporate board meeting or something to go with your red carpet black tie look? Are you taking notes at romantic wedding get-aways or at the beach? What are you using for storage?
In the vein of my article The Ultimate Guide to Zettelkasten Index Card Storage, below I’ve collected a number of various sorts of daily carry index card cases, wallets, covers, and folios one might consider using. Some, where indicated, are items I use regularly, but others are interesting options I’ve run across in my travels, and though they didn’t fit my particular needs, they might fit yours. I don’t (yet) consider it to be the ultimate guide to this space, so if you’re in the market, feel free to check back occasionally or add your thoughts, suggestions, or reviews to the comments below. Since some items aren’t designed specifically for index cards, notes about their usability and portability with respect to note taking or zettelkasten practices are appreciated.
As I did for boxes, I’m going to focus primarily on the 3 x 5 inch and 4 x 6 inch index card form factors which are more common, and for which these products are often more readily available. If you’re using larger cards, then you might consider searching for folders, cases, and related containers for equivalent sizes of paper in terms of notebook covers, filing solutions, and other binders keeping in mind that equivalent European or DIN A-sizes (A5, A4, etc.) may also suit your needs as long as they’re big enough to physically accommodate your cards. If you find something spectacular, let us all know.
Please double check sizing as I have run into instances where some items were fractions of an inch too small to fit the cards I wanted to use.
If you’re doing your own targeted searches some of the following words can be useful: cases, wallets, covers, pocket briefcases, folios, pouches, bags, pen and/or pencil cases, and fountain pen cases. While some of the pen related cases may not be as suitable, some are free-form pouches which will easily accommodate index cards in addition to other items you may want to carry with your cards. You can’t take notes without a writing instrument, so having space for a pen or pencil or two isn’t a bad thing. You’ll probably notice that some items come with pen loops for such eventualities. Trawling through some of the fountain pen and stationery communities can also give you some creative ideas for portable index card storage.
While not the most spectacular option, this double zippered, expandable pen case fits a huge number of pens and small office supplies as well as loads of either 3 x 5 or 4 x 6 inch index cards.
It bears noticing that one could also go the DIY route and make their own portable index card holders. This would allow one to have the exact form factor and specifications for their personal note taking styles. If this is you, hopefully some of the options below will give you some ideas about what form factors are available for designing your own. You’ll find that there are options in a variety of materials including leather, cotton, canvas, waxed canvas, sailcloth, metal, and even Harris Tweed.
What will you choose?
Size independent options
Before we delve into some of the card size-specific choices, let’s look at a few that are size independent.
Binder Clips. Everyone is likely aware of it, but we will mention that in true old-school hipster PDA-style (aka Parietal Disgorgement Aid), one could certainly use a binder clip, which makes a certain statement, though not the one that many might wish. In a similar vein, I’ve heard people say they rely on rubber bands, or especially in hot climates where rubber bands break down quickly, plastic sandwich bags (Ziploc to keep out the moisture), or even envelopes. Envelopes may present an intriguing practice for those into slip-based project management or forms of kakeibo (家計 簿).
The classic Hipster PDA dressed up with a brass binder clip.
Binder rings. If you want to go flashcard style, then you’ll want to search for a good hole punch (I recommend the Mutual Centamatic Punch No. 250) and some binder rings which come in a huge variety of sizes, materials, and even colors.
Chicago Binding Screws. If you appreciate the flashcard style, but not the esthetic and would rather look a bit more corporate than playground, then perhaps Chicago binding screws (available in various sizes and finishes) will give your deck of index cards a more buttoned up look? For those who are fans of index card filing rod solutions, these can also be used to bundle up cards on the go using your pre-punched cards. Higher end metal finishes (brass, copper, oiled bronze?) can really up the game on this option.
Gangnam Style. Just kidding—I’m just checking to see if you’re still awake. But seriously, the stiff upper body movements in the video were the result of decks of index cards in the suit jackets. I swear!
Uninspired Plastic. If you really must… Only for the indiscriminate completists, I’ll mention the ubiquitous cheap plastic cases, some with snaps or elastics for closure which hold 50 to a few hundred cards. If you carefully follow some of the zettelkasten box market, you can get a solid antique or vintage wooden box for almost as much as you’d pay for a dozen of these cheap toys. I don’t want to shame anyone, particularly those who are still test driving the analog index card life, but perhaps this is what you’ve got now and you’re here searching for a modest upgrade? Good! Keep exploring to find your new index card lifestyle.
Everyone has a few of these plastic holders lying around. Do they spark joy? Probably not.
3 x 5 inch index card versions
Not only are there a variety of custom solutions specifically designed for 3 x 5 inch index cards, but one can also profitably search for and use items designed for passports (3.5 x 5 inches) or pocket notebooks which are slightly larger, but still serviceable. A variety of high quality solutions are designed specifically for a variety of common brand name pocket notebook products including Field Notes (3.5 x 5.5 inches), Moleskine (3.5 x 5.5 inches), Leuchtturm (A6), Hobonichi, Midori, Jibun, etc., so searching for these within the space can provide some additional options for the discerning buyer.
In some cases, products meant for A7 size paper (74 mm x 105 mm or 2.91 x 4.13 inch) may also work, but check the sizing as A7 is physically smaller than 3 x 5 inches. Similarly A6 size paper (105 x 148mm or 4.13 x 5.83 inches) products should work as they are slightly larger than both 3 x 5 inch and 4 x 6 inch index cards, though depending on your card size they may be a bit roomy.
Products
Simple leather wallets. I have an inexpensive, but nice leather notebook cover/wallet that I usually have a few 3x5s in. Searching for covers for pocket notebooks or A6 notebooks one will find lots of these which are more ubiquitous than those that will hold the larger 4×6 inch cards. Hundreds of variations of this sort can be found on Amazon, Etsy, eBay, and other online and leather retailers. After you’ve seen a few you can pick and choose ones with the number of pockets or slots you’d like, whether or not you want a pen loop, the ability to use it as a wallet for your cash and credit cards along with your notes, etc. Prices can generally range from US$15 to well over $100 with a variety of colors, types of leather, and even personalization options.
Passport wallets. Similar to the above, there are a huge number of commercially available passport wallets in a variety of shapes, configurations, and materials. Most should fit index cards within the pocket designed for the passport. Search and see what you come up with. One correspondent said they loved their Aspinal of London passport cover.
Levenger carries some nicer index card-specific “pocket briefcases”. Their offerings are only for 3 x 5 inch form factors, but they do have a variety of those size cards and small notebooks as well as the ability to custom print stationery at that size if you’re looking for something personalized.
Kaitiaki has a unique form factor. It not only holds cards, but can be stood up as a display as well as be used as a small writing desk while you’re on the go.
Rite in the Rain has a variety of notebooks and index card products whose primary premise is that they are waterproof. Naturally they also carry a variety of protective cases and pouches, most made of cordura, with a variety of configurations to suit a variety of needs. Browsing around here will find a variety of interesting and rugged options. Also of note, they have an index card wallet designed specifically for 3 x 5 inch index cards. Some may also appreciate their field desks for writing on the go. Slightly more difficult to find amid their cordura offerings are their Guide and Sherpa leather wallets which should comfortably fit 3 x 5 inch cards.
Lochby is primarily in the notebook and planner space with a variety of offerings featuring a durable waxed canvas esthetic. Their Pocket Journal case, meant for pocket notebooks, will easily hold a hundred index cards with additional internal pockets for business cards or credit cards and external pockets for miscellanea as well as a pen. It is small enough one could use it as a wallet and it will fit in most back pockets, though depending on its contents, it may not be comfortable to sit on for extended periods. Their larger Venture Pouch has two zippered sides, one for pens and the other with two separate spaces for index cards or other portable office supplies. If you don’t mind a bit more bulk in your portable office, Lockby’s Tool Roll should easily fit 150 index cards along with a variety of pens and side pocket for miscellaneous needs. If you’re price sensitive, sign up to their newsletter as they have regular sales and discounts throughout the year.
IF provides some off-the-beaten-path options for the avid reader and note taker. Of particular note in their line up, is the Bookaroo Notebook Tidy, which is available in a number of colors. It provides eight elastic bands on the front for a variety of storage options, one of which could easily be your 3 x 5 inch index cards (it sadly won’t fit 4 x 6 inch though one could use a binderclip to attach them to the back of the tidy in a pinch). Turned over, the back is a firm surface that could be used as a small writing desk. Also included is an adjustable elastic band which can be used to attach the tidy to an A5 notebook or to a wide variety of standard hardcover novels and non-fiction (9.5 inch tall) books. Just attach your tidy with some note cards and you’re ready to read and take notes at your favorite home away from home.
Rickshaw, an offshoot company from Timbuk2 bags, offers a wide array of bags, wallets, pouches, and miscellanea in a huge variety of materials and form factors. While some of their larger items will certainly fit 3 x 5 inch cards, some of their smaller offerings include: The Diplomat, a wide variety of pocket notebook folios, and lots of pouches and wallets.
Traveler’s Notebook manufactures passport size notebook covers meant for their range of notebooks which are held in by way of elastic bands. This makes them potentially less useful the index card afficionados as unbound or unclipped cards may not stay in them as easily. However, if you’re making or using small index card pads of the sort I’ve discussed in the past, then you can easily slip them in and go. TN also makes a variety of other useful inserts which may make this a intriguing choice.
4 x 6 inch index card versions
In this category, there aren’t as many custom made solutions, so searching specifically for them has generally been fruitless. The better bet for this size factor is to search for the slightly larger A6 sized notebook covers, holders, cases, and pouches and be comfortable with them being slightly larger. In most of my experience this is fine and there’s isn’t so much extra space that the difference is worrisome or noticeable. Some particular brands that might work include Hobonichi, The Superior Labor, Leuchtturm, etc.
Products
King Jim makes the cotton Flatty Works #5460, an A6 horizontal pouch with small internal and external thin pockets and a clear front plastic window. At H4.8×W6.8×D1.4 inches it easily fits not only 4 x 6 inch index cards but has enough clearance for tabbed dividers as well. I have one I use as a daily carry and love it. I’ve written more details and a review elsewhere on the site.
Lochby. Mentioned above, their only product which will fit 4 x 6 inch cards is their “Adventure Pouch”. It will also provide you with space for a variety of pens, pencils, a pair of glasses and other small niceties. 4 x 6 inch cards won’t fit into the pockets of their tool roll (pictured above), but if it’s compelling enough, you could roll them into the apparatus and they shouldn’t fall out when clasped shut.
Rite in the Rain. Also mentioned in the 3 x 5 inch section, Rite in the Rain offers a handful of covers and pouches which are slightly bigger than 4 x 6 inch and will easily accommodate these index cards. Weatherproof, most are made out of cordura and have a rugged appearance and feel.
ateliers PENELOPE makes a variety of canvas bags and storage solutions, but their large Diary Pouch may be a classy solution for some of your larger index card on-the-go storage. Given its size, it’s got space for both index cards as well as some of your other portable storage needs. It’s small enough that it should fit easily into a briefcase or other larger bags or purses. If you have some index card “notebooks”, you might also consider their A6 canvas covers which are lovely and colorful.
Rickshaw. With a pedigree stemming out of Timbuk2, this San Francisco purveyor of bags for a variety of purposes offers two that look like solid options for the portable 4 x 6 inch index card fan (and which are certainly big enough for 3 x 5 inch users). The first is their Travelers Notebook Case and the second is the Coozy Case. Some may find that their larger A5 cases or their pouches may also suit their needs. The benefit of these options is that they come in a huge array of colors with customizable options. Browse around their site to see if something here strikes your fancy. Houndstooth anyone? Harris Tweed!?! Add-a-Patch? Yes, please. May I have some more?
Galen Leather. Galen, generally beloved within the fountain pen and stationery communities, offers a wide variety of leather notebook covers, folios, bags, and zippered cases which are compatible with a variety of index card sizes. One unique option here is their Writing Box, inspired by a writing desk owned by Thomas Jefferson.
Custom solutions
I’ve been trying to get Aaron Aiken to make a custom leather billfold/cover, but it’ll be a few months before he gets around to it. If this is of interest to you, do ping him with your interest. (See conversation thread for details.)
Thoughts?
Have I missed anything interesting?
What is your favorite index card holder when you’re out on the go? What’s holding your fleeting notes?
