If you’re an avid reader, you know the sadness that comes when a beloved book falls apart. But if you’ve spent much time in libraries, you are likely familiar with the heavier “library binding” style of book meant to last hundreds of years. Did you know there’s a NISO standard for library book binding (ANSI/NISO/LBC Z39.78-2000)? It’s some 39 pages long, including descriptions of paper composition, cover board materials, adhesives, instructions for sewing (depending on the thickness of the book), and much more. If you’re not Todd Carpenter, you may not want to read through the entire standard, but you may enjoy the video below that takes a fun look at just what it takes for a book to be “library worthy”.

David Crotty

David Crotty

David Crotty is a Senior Consultant at Clarke & Esposito, a boutique management consulting firm focused on strategic issues related to professional and academic publishing and information services. Previously, David was the Editorial Director, Journals Policy for Oxford University Press. He oversaw journal policy across OUP’s journals program, drove technological innovation, and served as an information officer. David acquired and managed a suite of research society-owned journals with OUP, and before that was the Executive Editor for Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, where he created and edited new science books and journals, along with serving as a journal Editor-in-Chief. He has served on the Board of Directors for the STM Association, the Society for Scholarly Publishing and CHOR, Inc., as well as The AAP-PSP Executive Council. David received his PhD in Genetics from Columbia University and did developmental neuroscience research at Caltech before moving from the bench to publishing.

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