Keeping Binding 'In The Fold'

An Uncommon Service

Though many universities and other organizations ran book binderies in the past, most deserted them when commercial binderies became common. Today, the University of Minnesota is one of only a handful of organizations that maintain in-house book binderies.

To justify having a book bindery, an organization must produce large volumes of publications. For example, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints produces more than 5 million copies of the Book of Mormon each year at its Salt Lake City Printing Center—just one of many publications the in-plant produces. As a result, the Church chooses to maintain an in-house book bindery.