1. A method of sorting a plurality of documents to be accessed by a plurality of readers or groups of readers, said method comprising the steps of developing a list of interest areas represented by said plurality of readers, developing a hierarchical index of subject matter referred to in said plurality of documents, each entry in said hierarchical index having at least one of an index term and an associated code, assigning a limited number of index terms and associated codes of said hierarchical index to each document of said plurality of documents, assigning a limited number of potential intended uses and associated codes to selected ones of said plurality of documents, assigning at least one of said interest areas to each document of said plurality of documents, and assembling a plurality of hierarchical indices of subject matter for respective interest areas from index terms and associated codes assigned to documents in each of said interest areas, and sorting respective documents of said plurality of documents in accordance with a respective one of said plurality of hierarchical indices for respective interest areas and intended uses.