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Library Binding

A standard binding method, library binding has a number of choices and options available. View the types of library binding we offer below.
Library Binding

Established & Trusted

A long standing Certified Library Binder through the Library Binding Institute (LBI), we serve public and private libraries, schools, universities, individuals, and other organizations. We offer personalized delivery service throughout the greater third of Mid-America and work with clients spanning from coast to coast. Every day Houchen Bindery Ltd. is entrusted with binding thousands of library books, one book at a time.

Standards

To provide long shelf life and preservation of valued books and documents, Houchen Bindery’s library binding standards include attention to detail, workmanship, and utilization of durable materials. We produce a significant majority of our product by the LBI’s standard. When we do not, it is by the choice of our customer.

ABLE™

We are pleased to be an ABLE™ Library Licensee and offer this service online to facilitate the exchange of data from our library customers. To establish a link with our server, please click the button below. You may be prompted to approve the download of a few files to make your connection function correctly.

Please contact us with any inquiries or visit Support for help.

Connect to ABLE™
I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your bindery. I sent a C.S. Lewis series to you to be done as Color 4 Ever and it is an amazing job. Thank you!

Also, Richard (our pickup and delivery person) is one of the nicest people. He speaks to everyone in the library and is very professional. Thank you for great employees your company has. Houchen Bindery is the Best.

Preparing a Binding Order

Please review our guidelines for preparing a binding order to help ensure your order is processed correctly and comes back to you efficiently.
View Binding Guidelines

Types of

Library Binding

Library

The traditional “Class A” library book is still very popular. This style of binding incorporates double fan leaf attachment, rounding units over ½” thick, trimmed edges, and up to 5 lines of lettering.

Periodicals
Periodicals are bound to customer specifications regarding collating, trimming, rounding, Library Summit color, lettering color, lettering alignment, leaf attachment, and turn-around time. Custom collation is becoming increasingly expensive due to the amount of labor this work requires. Most price schedules for periodicals include 7 lines of lettering, volumes up to 2½” thick, and a 30-day turnaround.

Theses

Theses are bound to LBI specifications, with the customer’s choice of cloth and lettering colors, spine and/or front stamping. Some customers choose minimal information to be stamped, e.g., last name of author and year, while others prefer a considerable amount of stamping and prices are adjusted accordingly. When submitting theses to the bindery, please make your expectations clear concerning lettering, and include a binding slip with each title.

Library Summit

To access our On Demand Printing and Binding Thesis Service, click here.

View Theses & Dissertation Order Notes

Clam Shell Boxes
Clam shells are used on materials not suitable for regular binding, as with phase boxes. Clam shells are more substantially constructed, using regular binder’s board covered in Library Summit, with C grade buckram interior coverings. Spines can be stamped, and colors chosen. Clam shells achieve almost total blockage of light, dust, and air from the original materials enclosed.

Phase Boxes
When materials are too brittle or otherwise in a weakened condition and cannot be rebound, the first choice of most libraries is to construct a phase box. Using acid-free barrier board, a custom-sized enclosure is constructed to protect the book block. Spines can be stamped, and boards are held in place by velcro. This is the least expensive custom fit enclosure we can supply.

Special Binding
Examples of special binding are log books for nuclear power plants, autopsy/pathology reports, legal bond issue books, computer printouts of all manner of data, and school grade or attendance reports. Virtually any paged material in any size and any thickness can be bound.

Types of

Clear Binding

Digi Cover

A digi cover is a broad term describing how the bindery will use the original book cover, and capture the original cover graphics or illustrations by literally taking its picture.

That picture is processed and reprinted exactly the same as the original cover.  This can turn a paperback into a hard cover, or preserve the art of a dust jacket.

On some occasions the bindery operators may need to edit the graphic file, to add a title to the spine and/or fix flaws, in some cases create a spine. Those type of edits can be added as extra charges to your invoice.

When the book is returned to the library, it will circulate very well because the original graphics often attract readers that otherwise overlook foil stamped cloth books. And the laminated covers, although not library binding standard approved, are very durable.

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