A method for indexing and retrieving text that includes affixing a first text identifier adjacent to a first body of text, the first body of text is included in a physical collection of text, the first text identifier that includes a first iconography; affixing a first page identifier adjacent to a page included in the physical collection of text, the page includes the particular body of text, the first page identifier includes the first iconography; and modifying a list to include a first summary of the first body of text, the list include a table of cells arranged into rows and columns, each of the rows is associated with one of a plurality of iconographies, the plurality of iconographies includes the first iconography, each iconography is associated with one indexing item.