Library Bookbinder
Class Specifications – G.75
Library Bookbinder Supervisor – 8841
Principal Library Bookbinder – 8842
Senior Library Bookbinder-Supervisor – 8846
Senior Library Bookbinder – 8843
Library Bookbinder – 8844
Library Bookbinder Trainee – 8845
July, 1986
Series Concept
Library Bookbinders perform or supervise a variety of skilled and semi-skilled operations involved in binding books, periodicals, magazines, or other material with buckram, vellum, leather, polyvinyl, type II non-woven, or other binding in a University bookbindery; and perform other related duties as required.
Typical duties include making cases, casing-in, gold stamping, typecasting, cutting boards, backing, finish trimming, sewing, and cutting. Incumbents typically set up and operate machinery, make necessary adjustments, and do minor machine repair work. Additionally, incumbents may perform special binding operations such as making full binds by manual tasks, performing hand finishing operations, or restoring binding.
Duties may also include checking in material to be bound, assembling and collating, performing a variety of mending operations, milling, dividing, tipping, trimming, and performing various sewing tasks related to the preparation for or production of bindings.
Performance of these duties requires manual dexterity, good vision, skill in the use of machinery, a working knowledge of bookbinding practices and procedures, and the ability to meet production standards established for each operation.
The Library Bookbinder series specifically recognizes supervisory responsibility in two of its six levels (Trainee – Supervisor). Positions allocated to the supervisory titles in this series must meet the criteria for supervision as defined in the Supplemental guidelines for supervisor classes (SAM12).
Class Concepts
Library Bookbinder Supervisor
Under direction of a library bindery manager, incumbents plan, organize and direct and control the work of all levels of Library Bookbinders and perform the full range of duties as outlined in the series Concept. Incumbents in this class serve as supervisors maintaining discipline, arranging work assignments, and supervising work flow to meet established deadlines and to insure quality standards according to specifications.
Incumbents serve as the operational supervisors for their assigned area of responsibility: plan for and determine work schedule and personnel requirements; determine the training needed to maximize employee productivity and ensure adequate training of personnel; evaluate the performance of employees, in part based on the input of the working leaders; authorize hiring, promoting, demoting, disciplining or discharging of employees; and serve as the first line administrative supervisor in the hearing and resolution of employee grievances.
Principal Library Bookbinder
Under supervision, incumbents set up and operate bookbinding machinery, or perform skilled manual tasks in the production of a variety of book bindings.
Incumbents operate hot metal type-casting machines and perform hot metal stamping by inserting self-centering pallets containing type characters into stamping machines, setting the proper position, and stamping onto covers with gold or foil. Incumbents perform finish trimming, cut backs, arrange.”no-trims” on cutting machines, and may perform special operations to effect the hand binding of books; make portfolios and boxes to resemble books; restore old books; construct special inside pockets including selection of appropriate material; and mount large maps on cloth. In addition, incumbents may perform minor repairs to machinery they operate.
This class is distinguished from the class of Senior Library Bookbinder by the degree of technical knowledge and skill requited of incumbents to perform the duties assigned at this level. Evidence of the degree of knowledge and/or skill required at this level is found in the following examples: (1) a mistake in a cutting operation can result in irreparable damage, or the purchase of a costly replacement; and (2) the changing of knives on cutting machines requires a high level of skill to prevent costly damage to the unit itself. Principal Library Bookbinders may occasionally perform the work of absent Senior Library Bookbinders to meet production deadlines.
Senior Library Bookbinder – Supervisor
Senior Library Bookbinder
Under supervision, incumbents perform a variety of tasks in the production of bindings for books and periodicals; or plan, organize and direct the work of a group of incumbents at the first level of Library Bookbinder.
In a non-supervisory position, incumbents round and back books by hand or machine, making necessary adjustments depending upon type of paper, size and thickness of volume; cut binding boards on pneumatic board shears, making appropriate machine adjustments; operate oversewing machines; make cases by applying glue to cloth by means of a gluing machine, placing Davey boards on glued cloth by use of caseguage or template; center backspine; turn extended material over edges by hand or simple machines; and insert case into roller press. Incumbents also perform casing-in operations by hand or semi-automatic, air-operated, self-adjusting casing-in machines; and determine proper nipping pressure, time dwell and temperature of hydro-press. Senior Library Bookbinders may occasionally perform the work of absent Library Bookbinders to meet production deadlines.
In a supervisory position, incumbents serve as working supervisors of first level Library Bookbinders and typically maintain appropriate work flow to meet production schedules, keep production records of subordinate employees, hire and train new employees, assists in maintaining discipline, and perform minor machine adjustments within their assigned area of responsibility.
This supervisory position is distinguished from the Library Bookbinder Supervisor class in that incumbents supervise only a select group of incumbents at the first level of Library Bookbinder, principally performing the following duties: checking in, wire pulling, assembling and collating, and mending hand and saddle sewing.
Library Bookbinder
Under supervision, incumbents perform a variety of semi-skilled tasks in the preparation for, and production of, various bindings for books and periodicals. Incumbents typically check in material to be bound by verifying that the proper number of items and technical information is received; sorting for special mending and preparation; mounting any maps and photographs; and operating such machines as milling, cleat lacing, adhesive binding, formatting and cloth labeling units.
Incumbents also perform wire stitching of quarter binds; glue boards to end-sheets; apply cloth strips to back, and cover sides with paper; operate end-sheet folding and nipping machines; pull cloth and boards for books according to prescribed specifications, and cut on hand-operated board shears; pull liners for appropriate spine size; and set hot metal type into self-centering pallets.
Library Bookbinders typically pull wire staples; assemble and collate material, checking to be certain pages are not turned and contents placed according to instructions; sand backs; divide books into sections by hand or mechanical device; perform tape and cord sewing by hand; glue up books with brush; reinforce and line; hand trim endsheets; proofread finished stamped cover; place volume into cover; round covers; and insert books into hydro-press. Incumbents also inspect and pack bound books for shipment to campus destinations.
Library Bookbinder Trainee
Under direct supervision, incumbents assist bookbinders in the performance of a variety of semi-skilled tasks in the bindery. At this level, incumbents typically train and assist in all phases of work assigned to Library Bookbinders including check-in, examination, assembly, sorting, collating, sanding, gluing, reinforcing, hand trimming, proofreading covers, pressing books, inspecting and packing completed books for shipment.
Library Bookbinder Trainee is the entry level class in the series. Incumbents are selected with the prospect of participating in on-the-job training in preparation for promotion to Library Bookbinder. When incumbents successfully complete such training and are assigned appropriate duties, they may be promoted to Library Bookbinder.
Minimum Qualifications
Applicants for positions in the Library Bookbinder series are expected to possess the skills, knowledge, and abilities essential to the successful performance of the duties assigned to the positions.
Note: Specific qualification requirements are approved for positions by the Personnel Manager in accordance with the provisions of Staff Personnel Policies 210.8 and 210.9.