Career Occupational Profile for: Bookbinders

Perform highly skilled hand finishing operations, such as grooving and lettering to bind books.

Employment is expected to decline rapidly, reflecting the use of more productive machinery and the growth of imports of bound printed material.
Opportunities for hand bookbinders are limited because only a small number of establishments do this highly specialized work.
Most bookbinders and bindery workers train on the job.

Core — Cut cover material to specified dimensions, and fit and glue material to binder boards manually or by machine.
Core — Place bound books in presses that exert pressure on covers until glue dries.
Core — Glue outside endpapers to covers.
Core — Trim edges of books to size, using cutting or book trimming machines or hand cutters.
Core — Apply glue to backs of books, using brushes or glue machines, and attach cloth backing and headbands.

Handling and Moving Objects — Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material — Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.