Jeff,

Over the past couple of years our commercial binding budget has been
reduced by about 80%.  To address this problem, we've begun to
"Therm-A-Bind" more titles (we had always used this method to store
incomplete volumes but now we're using our existing supplies to
permanently store some titles).  We've also begun to store some titles
in Princeton files (this works well for shorter and thicker issues --
especially ones we don't intend to shelve for more than a few years).

For Therm-A-Binding, we use a "ThermaBind GBC 2000 XT" machine from
General Binding Corporation (I think we paid about $375 for it a few
years ago, when we replaced our older machine).  It can bind units up to
2" thick in the spine.  Expect to pay about $1 per binding cover (these
range from less than 1" to 2" in spine width).  The spine contains
adhesive.

Our bindery specialist employs student assistants (at up to $6 per hour)
to help her "thermabind" volumes.  A student assistant can probably bind
about 10-12 units per hour (including collating and labeling).

Princeton file boxes range in price from about $3 to $5 per box,
depending on the quantity ordered.

I want to add that for the shrinking percentage of titles not
perpetually available to us online we still prefer to commercially bind;
we use the methods I mention above mostly for semi-permanent handling of
material -- for limited retention titles, lower use titles, etc.  I
think that commercial binding is still a very good deal for the quality
product you get.

I hope this gives you some idea of the cost comparison you're looking
for.

- Lucy Duhon.

Lucy Duhon
Serials Librarian
Carlson Library/Serials Dept.
University of Toledo
Toledo, OH  43606

(Mail Stop # 509)

(419) 530-2838
(419) 530-2726 [fax]
lucy.duhon@utoledo.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum
[mailto:SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU] On Behalf Of Jeff Flynn
Sent: Thursday, June 23, 2005 10:54 AM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: [SERIALST] In-house binding

Does anyone have experience with in-house binding? We are thinking
binding some of our miscellaneous materials in the library instead of
sending them out to our commercial bindery. Any info on equipment,
labor, savings...would be appreciated.

________________________________________________________________________
_____________
Jeff Flynn                                Tel: (617) 305-1603
Serials/Bibliographic Control Librarian   Fax: (617) 723-3164
Suffolk University Law Library            Email: jflynn@acad.suffolk.edu
120 Tremont St.
Boston, MA 02108
________________________________________________________________________
_____________