Transforming the way we do business! UC Library Bindery Virtual Tour Located at the Berkeley campus, UC Library Bindery serves all ten University of California campuses.
Library Bindery Virtual Tour
Nov 11, 2014
Library binding is a specialized form of book binding designed to produce books that will hold up to rigorous use. Bindings are designed to significantly extend the shelf life of printed material. Generally, no two books sent to the bindery are the same. Each book received must be evaluated and decisions made as to the most effective and efficient methods to apply in order to produce a high quality, attractive binding. There are over 100 different productions processes that may be applied to any given book. The average volume sent for binding will go through 35 distinct production processes before being returned to the library.
We hope you will find this virtual tour informative.
We hope you will find this virtual tour informative.
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Transforming the way we do business!
UC Library BinderyVirtual Tour
Located at the Berkeley campus, UC Library Bindery serves all ten University of California campuses.
Books are counted and sized which organizes materials efficiently prior to entering the production process.
Checking In
Designated volumes go through a preparation process before entering binding production to insure that all print is preserved and the appropriate production processes will be applied to create a durable and readable finished book. Serial preparation involves checking issue order, inspecting trim/binding margins, and selecting the most appropriate method of leaf attachment.
Preparation
Many old and worn books simply need new covers. If the text block is made up of signatures which are affixed by sewing through the fold of the paper and the original sewing is intact, then the original binding is preserved. The original worn cover is discarded and old glues and spine reinforcement materials are carefully removed using steam and a knife. New end sheets are affixed by sewing through the outer signatures of the text block. A new cloth case is manufactured. This is referred to as New Case Only binding.
Steaming off covers
For New Case Only books, new end sheets are fixed by sewing through the fold of the existing outer signatures and acid-free folio endpapers.
Sew Through the Fold
In Mylar binding, paperback books are converted to hardcover bindings. Prior to entering the production process Mylar books are sized and numbered on both the text block and cover to insure books are properly matched to their covers. Original covers are removed and laminated while the text block is rebound to meet Library Binding Standards.
Numbering Mylar Books
After covers are removed, excess glue is carefully scraped off and acid-free end sheets are placed with each text block.
Removing Paperback Covers
After covers are removed, they are clear laminated with a paper backing. They are later glued to hard-milled cover boards during the case making process to create a new hard cover.
Laminating Covers
The old binding is removed from books using a motorized guillotine cutter or milling blade. Guillotine cutters are used for books with narrow gutter margins to insure that the greatest possible amount of gutter margin is preserved. This helps to produce a book that is easier to read and/or scan for copying.
Trimming Backs
Original serials bound as signatures do not have their backs cut. The signatures are placed on a hand sewing loom and sewn by hand onto cotton tapes. This preserves the entirety of the original binding margin and produces a book which “lays flat” when opened for ease of reading.
Leaf Attachment - Sewing through the fold by hand
Original serials with thin signatures are sewn together on a National Sewing Machine. This is a faster sewing process than hand sewing.
Leaf Attachment - Sewing through the fold by machine
Books are glued at the spine after sewing and allowed to dry before finish trimming. This step helps to consolidate the text block and adds durability and shelf life to the volume.
Gluing the Backs of Books Sewn Through the Fold
After the original book is printed on uncoated paper stock with the paper grain running parallel to the binding margin, the book is adhesive bound using an internally plasticized polyvinyl acetate adhesive (PVA). This is a special process done in Library Bound volumes. The book is clamped and the pages fanned in both directions with adhesive applied to the spine. This process effectively “tips” all of the pages of a volume together. Finally, a woven stretch cloth is applied to the spine and wrapped around onto the endpapers.
Leaf Attachment – Double Fan Adhesive Binding by Hand
Most books designated for double fan adhesive binding are placed on an Ultrabind. This highly productive machinery is capable of performing “inline” seven distinct production steps (milling, notching, endpaper registration, fan gluing, notch filling, affixing woven back liner, flap folding). Utilizing automation, where possible, controls manufacturing costs.
Ultrabind
This binding process is used for about 50% of the books processed through the Library Bindery. Books with cross grain paper, coated paper and stiff covers are designated for oversewing. This is a modified form of side sewing where the original binding is removed and thin sections of loose pages are side sewn one to the other. The sewing threads penetrate into the text block along the binding margin approximately 3/16th” of an inch. This produces a very strong and durable text block.
Leaf Attachment - Oversewing
An oversewn end sheet is constructed with a strip of glue at the binding margin which is folded and tipped back to cover the exposed sewing threads.
End Sheet Folding
Books ready for finish trim
After binding in the most appropriate binding method, books on a job are stacked in sequence and ready for finish trimming
Finish Trimming
Text blocks are finish trimmed along the front, head and tail to clean all edges and insure that the text block is square. The text block is not trimmed for books with narrow trim margins. In that case, the end sheets are trimmed flush to the text block.
Marking Up
Books are placed into the Bookmark machine and measured. Dimensions are put on a server to interface with the Library Automated Retrieval System (LARS) software application. These measurements are used to determine the appropriate dimensions for the cover cloth. They are also used to calculate the area available for lettering on the spine of the book cover.
Gluing Up
Oversewn books are glued at the spine after mark-up. This keeps threads within the binding edge.
Rounding and Backing
Books are placed into the Rounder/Backer to form the spine and hinge of the text block. Shaping the spine in this manner reduces stress on the binding margin that occurs with use and adds to the shelve life of a bound book.
Rounded and Backed Spine
Board Cutting
Many library book binding processes must be accomplished by hand. Boards are hand cut in pairs for every case that is produced at the library bindery.
Security Strips
Also called tattle tapes, these are applied to the text blocks after the books are bound and trimmed. Security strips are an essential part of the security systems employed by campus libraries to protect their collections.
Numbering Boards
Boards for cases are given a number that corresponds to a sequential number that the text blocks received at a prior stage of the binding. This same number is then applied to the cover boards and cover cloth for that book. This insures that each book receives the proper cover or case.
Spine Pulling
The spine liner is a thin, acid free board that is individually pulled for each book to match the thickness of the spine. The spine is used in the case making process to form the spine of the finished cover or case.
Super Liner
Machine sewn books receive a woven cloth strip that wraps over the spine and overlaps the end sheets. This consolidates the text block, protects the sewing threads and adds additional strength to the joint area.
Data Entry
While the text blocks are moving through the production process, cover cloth is being lettered in the computer room in preparation for the production of the case of cover. Title and call number information is received from printed binding slips, disc, or electronically over the internet. Text fit is performed at these work station which defines the lettering location based on text block measurement and/or a permanent record that is stored on our systems.
System 3 stamping machine w/ AT-1 Trimmer
Automated cloth stamping allows options for three foil colors and automatically trims the cloth to the correct size to produce a consistent turn-in for every book
Case Making - Autocase
The individual elements of each book case or cover (boards, spine, cloth or laminated cover) are laid out using a case making gauge on an Autocase machine. The Autocase compresses glued cover material to binders board and folds the four side (or turn-in) in a 2-step process.
Finished Cases
Finished covers are delivered onto a conveyor belt and neatly stacked. You can clearly see the boards, spine liner, and turn-in in this photo.
Case making with book cloth (Buckram or C-1 Cloth)
When making cloth covers or cases, the cloth material is passed through glue rollers and the cover board is precisely placed onto the cloth with a case making gauge.
Cut Corners
Corners are hand cut to reduce bulking of material at the four corners before the cloth is turned in.
Folding the Corners In
The material is carefully folded at the corners before placing in the turn edge machine.
Turn Edge Machine
The turn in is compressed to adhere the cloth and board together.
Press Rollers
A final pass of the finished case through these rollers ensure the cloth is well applied to the cover board.
Rounding Covers
The spine is placed on a rounded warming iron to form the spine to the rounded spine of the text block
Casing In
Books are opened up and placed on a saddle blade which lowers and applies glue to the end sheets.
Casing In
The cover is placed and fitted over the text block that has been glued and the book is now in its final form.
Casing In
Casing in - side view
Hydropress
Heated irons meet the joint and pressure is applied to compress the case to the text block. This insures a solid adhesive bond between the text block and the case or cover.
Inspection
Completed books receive a final quality inspection to insure they are ready for the library shelves.
Packing
Finished materials are packed on a book truck for delivery back to the library.
Shipment, ready for delivery –
Limited Circulation (LC) Binding
Midnight blue, embossed, 40 pt board is a durable material that provides limited protection for materials that are not highly circulated at the libraries.
Limited Circulation Binding (LC)
Buckram strips are applied that have been stamped with the title and call number information.
Pamphlet Binding
Books are sized, inserted and wire stitched into an archival quality pamphlet case.
Phase Box Construction
Generally, phase boxes are assembled with 2 pieces of cut and scored archival board. These are used to protect valuable or rare material.
Phase Box Construction
Brass fasteners are hammered on and tie closed the finished phase box.
Kasemake Boxes
The clamshell box is a scalable design that uses measurements imported from Excel to automatically cut and score corrugated or solid board.
Rounding Covers
Multiple boxes are arranged on a sheet at the computer. The Kasemake machine cuts, scores and labels each piece.
For over 100 years, the Library Bindery has maintained a tradition of excellent service preserving the treasures housed in the University of California library collections.
Our nimbleness, ability to adapt to the changing needs of our customers, skilled staff, and forward thinking position the Library Bindery to be a relevant business partner of the UC system for years to come.
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