Bindery Worker

Do you love books? Not just the words, but the feel of the paper between your fingers and the smell of the pages as you flip them. If so, a job as a Bindery Worker might be right up your alley. As a Bindery Worker, you take part in every aspect of creating new books and repairing old ones. You might even work with one-of-a-kind or specially made, rare versions.

The process for a Bindery Worker is the same no matter what type of book you are binding. In addition to books, you might also produce pamphlets, leaflets, or other printed material. Your job is to use a series of automated machines to cut, fold, collate, hole-punch, and bind papers. You evaluate the requested specifications and then adjust the machines accordingly.

For example, you set the paper cutting machine to produce 8×11- or 5×8-inch pages. Once cut, the paper moves to other machines that need similar adjustments. Along the way, you load the equipment with supplies such as paper or glue. Then you monitor the machines to make sure the pages turn out whole, properly sized, and centered. After all, the customer would be very displeased to purchase a book with upside-down print or missing pages. Once complete, you remove the finished product, add a paper jacket (if necessary), wrap, and stack for shipment. Presto! Another completed project.