Binding Standards

Authors: Sherry Brown, Michael Shepler

Introduction

The goal of serials and monographic binding is to achieve, as an end result, an accurately bound volume preserved for the library's collection.

Functions include:

Workflow

Whenever feasible, binding workflows should be organized in such a manner to ensure that the lower level tasks (some selection/pulling of material, tying volumes, packing lugs) are given to students, with the higher level staff reviewing and performing the more difficult tasks (Innopac matching/examining of records, binding slip formatting and production, enhanced GLADIS holdings). In smaller units, this may not be practical.

Staff should schedule the gathering and processing of material for binding so that it is a smooth operation over the course of the month.

Under optimum circumstances workflow should maintain a steady pace, allowing units to meet monthly quotas with minimal flurries of last-minute binding.

Serials Binding

The purpose of serials binding is to collect a number of journal issues into a single bindable volume. Staff responsible for binding should regard the bound end product as a final step, striving for as little a margin for error as possible. Because of the high cost of serials binding, and the permanence of a bound volume, staff engaged in binding should have a keen appreciation for the key role of binding as the final step in the serials workflow.

With this in mind, it is imperative that staff receive a high level of training in all facets of the binding process. It is also recommended that staff only begin the binding process after gaining familiarity with the collection through experience with day-to-day Innopac check-in over a period of time.

Advanced training is recommended because Innopac records are shared (ie. any passworded staff can manipulate records for any collection in the system).

Monographic Binding

Monographic binding is employed for:

  1. paperbound items which have high use
  2. items which cannot be shelved in the stacks without binding (eg. unbound material)
  3. flimsy material which would be damaged by even minimal usage if shelved unbound

Training

  1. Staff should receive thorough Innopac check-in training, including extensive (day to day) check-in experience over several months. Components of the training should include: familiarization with patterns of publication, bibliographic irregularities, experience with questioning and learning to resolve serials problems.
  2. Thorough GLADIS Maintenance training, including: record searching, summary holdings, volume/copy fields, etc.
  3. Understanding binding designations
  4. Understanding publication frequencies
  5. Knowledge of publication history (bound volumes on shelf)
  6. Ability to recognize title changes, binding designation changes and other bibliographic irregularities, that require referral to catalogers
  7. Ability to utilize Branch Processing Manual (BPM): sections on Binding (3toc.html), collation, binding slips, etc.

BINDING QUOTA
Units are assigned a monthly binding allocation which should be met each month.

OVERALL STANDARD FOR ALL TYPES OF BINDING
Under optimum conditions, units should meet, but not exceed their monthly quota.

INDICATOR:
If a unit begins to develop a pattern of failure to meet their quota (over several months) the Unit Head should negotiate with the Conservation Department on how to better adjust their binding needs in relation to the unit's collection size (and/or other demands of the unit).

FUNCTION 1: SELECTION AND COLLATION
Staff must be able to correctly identify, pull and collate bindable material.

ENVIRONMENT

STANDARD

INDICATOR:
Collation is self-reviewed, as the Bindery no longer performs a checking function, thus a final check should be made before material leaves the unit for binding.

FUNCTION 2: INNOPAC WORK: PRE-BINDING SLIP
Using BPM procedures (Serials manual, Binding, Formatting... (8i.html#FORMAT)) staff must correctly format the Innopac check-in record, inserting or modifying the Bind Title and Bind Info fields for each title.

STANDARD

INDICATOR:
Review of each check-in record should be made by staff performing this function before exiting the UPDATE mode in Innopac.

FUNCTION 3: BINDING SLIP PRODUCTION

STANDARD

INDICATOR:
Error rate can be measured by amount of material returned, unprocessed from CONS/BPD, due to incorrect binding slips.

FUNCTION 4: GLADIS MAINTENANCE

CLOSINGS:

Follow procedures in the BPM - sections on Post-cataloging Processing (Serials Manual, Post-cataloging processing, Successive entry titles, Old title (8c.html#successive entry)) and Holdings (Serials Manual, Holdings, Holdings standards (8g1.html#HOLDSTAN)) for closing ceased, cancelled and successive entry titles after binding.

Closings should only be performed by higher level staff.

STANDARD
Holdings edits and V/C field(s) should have an average correctness rate of 95%.

INDICATOR:
This standard can be measured by periodic supervisorial reviews, performed immediately after GLADIS maintenance work has been done, and/or as errors are encountered.

FUNCTION 5: ROUTING BINDABLE MATERIAL TO CONS/BPD

Material should be securely tied, by bindable item, and routed to CONS/BPD in lugs (or, in the case of the Main Library, on trucks) provided by the Library Mail Room.

Each bindable item, with the exception of mylars and pam binds must contain a corresponding binding slip and carbon. The slip should contain all necessary information to facilitate rapid expediting of bindable material. Mylar and pam binds should have the correct call number and routing instructions written on the piece.

STANDARD
Material sent to CONS/BPD should be 95% error free. Routine checks should be performed as needed by the technical processing supervisor.

INDICATOR:
Incorrectly prepared material will be returned by CONS/BPD to the sending unit.

FUNCTION 6: MATERIAL ROUTED FOR MENDING

STANDARD
The same standard should apply to mending as is applied to binding. Error rate should be minimized by staff preparing material. Conservation will ultimately determine the treatment of the pieces (mend, recase, rebind).

INDICATOR:
Conservation staff will review and return incorrect material.

FUNCTION 7: BINDERY RETURNS

STANDARD

INDICATOR:
Bindery returns are checked for errors by unit staff.

FUNCTION 8: STATISTICS

STANDARD

INDICATOR:

Hardware/Manuals

Units to Consult

Binding committe consulted with:

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Last updated 08/04/05 Contact