Try to picture a stack of all the books you’ve handled throughout your life, and you will begin to appreciate the value of print binding and finishing workers, who have assembled each of those books. Publications such as newspapers, magazines, and books, are produced in volume by printing presses; these binding and finishing workers ensure effective machine operation and quality control. Print binding and finishing workers use various machines and hand tools to bind the pages together with stitching and gluing, then trim and cover, conducting visual inspections to ensure accuracy. These workers pay close attention to the work orders listing the specific requirements for a given product so the equipment will be set up correctly. This work also requires manual dexterity, and the ability to diagnose and resolve problems, such as print blemishes or binding errors. Work in press room environments can be noisy, but it’s necessary to oversee and conduct the ground-level aspects of book manufacturing. Most jobs require a high school diploma; training is on-the-job. While the job market has narrowed in the field because of increased use of digital material, the public’s demand for the printed word continues.
What they do:
Bind books and other publications or finish printed products by hand or machine. May set up binding and finishing machines.
On the job, you would:
Examine stitched, collated, bound, or unbound product samples for defects, such as imperfect bindings, ink spots, torn pages, loose pages, or loose or uncut threads.
Read work orders to determine instructions and specifications for machine set-up.
Install or adjust bindery machine devices, such as knives, guides, rollers, rounding forms, creasing rams, or clamps, to accommodate sheets, signatures, or books of specified sizes.
Business
management
customer service
Manufactured or Agricultural Goods
manufacture and distribution of products
Engineering and Technology
mechanical
Basic Skills
thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
Problem Solving
noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Hand and Finger Use
put together small parts with your fingers
hold or move items with your hands
Verbal
communicate by speaking
listen and understand what people say
People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.
They do well at jobs that need:
Attention to Detail
Integrity
Dependability
Independence
Self Control
Adaptability/Flexibility
You might use software like this on the job:
Library software
Houchen Bindery Library Automated Retrieval System LARS
Spreadsheet software
Microsoft Excel
Desktop publishing software
Microsoft Publisher
high school diploma/GED usually needed
Get started on your career:
New job opportunities are less likely in the future.
In the military:
see titles from the Navy.
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