The Bind.

LIBRARY bindings; PUBLISHING; BOOKS; BOOK industry

This article asks what a Publishers Library Binding is and how it is different from a trade binding. According to the author, School Library Journal and the other library book review agencies do not know the difference either. The author notes that School Library Journal reviews from galleys and folded and gathered sheets to speed the review process in the two-season, children's book publishing year. One upon a time, the journal used to be able to at least find out what the special bindings for new titles would be, but, according to the author, the publishers do not seem to have that information ready anymore since so much for their printing and binding is being done abroad. Editors of School Library Journal heard this exasperation over book bindings soaking up more and more time at the county and school district selection sessions they try to attend each quarter. According to the author, it is a genuine business problem all across the U.S. Book prices are rising, the library discounts available from wholesalers or jobbers are not changing even if the designated Publishers Library Binding's seem cheaper and weaker, and as a result any gains in children's library book selection budgets are eroded.