Managing a Library Binding Program

Book excerpt: Library binding is one of the activities typically included in newly created preservation departments, but librarians continue to discover that transforming a traditional binding program into one that better meets preservation objectives requires considerable investment of time. This resource guide is intended to help libraries review their binding activities from a preservation perspective through the following: (1) suggesting a strategy for gaining expertise through reading and observation; (2) outlining a plan for evaluating the library's and the binder's practices and policies; (3) presenting a strategy for initiating change; and (4) identifying issues that merit attention and discussion. Thirty-six articles dealing with a binding program and relations with a binder are presented. A bibliography lists an additional 18 sources for further reading. (SLD)