Date: Wed, 31 Aug 1994 08:21:37 -0600
From: Daniel Jones <JONES@uthscsa.edu>
Subject: Re: binding

Some commercial binderies in the US provide stand alone microcomputer-based
binding modules as part of their service.  Some of these are in-house
developed systems, and some are the ABLE (Advanced Bindery Library Exchange)
system provided under license from Mekatronics, Inc/Bendror International,
Ltd. (85 Channel Drive, Port Washington, NY 11050; telephone: 516-883-6805;
fax: 516-883-6948).  If you use a commercial binder you might consult with
them to see if they can support one.  I checked into the cost of ABLE and it
was too expensive for our operation which only binds about 3000-5000 volumes
in a year.  I understand that some university libraries have formed a
consortium to share in a license for ABLE (Virginia Commonwealth University
Library in Richmond, Virginia, USA, coordinates one of these, I believe).  A
colleague describes ABLE as the top of the line in binding systems.
The state of Texas (USA) regularly contracts with binders to provide binding
services and one of the terms of the contract is that the binder must provide
a computer-based binding system.  We have just installed the system provided
by our binder.  It is a standalone system (not ABLE) and is not linked to our
ILS.  It produces lists and prints binding tickets, and we estimate it will
streamline our operations by eliminating a significant amount of filing and
list typing.

[Daniel Jones <jones@uthscsa.edu>]