Evaluating binderies

The State of North Carolina requires commercial binderies to submit bids
for a contract that allows state agencies to do business with them. This
contract must be renewed every two years, generally. There are 16
institutions of higher education in the state, plus countless community
colleges and public schools that use the services of commercial binders.
These services range from textbook rebinding to sophisticated
conservation. There are two state-funded research libraries in N.C.;
UNC-Chapel Hill and NC State University.

There have been problems in the past getting the state's Division of
Purchasing & Contracts to understand our needs. A couple of years ago
they awarded the contract solely to one out-of-state binder. A reputable
binder, mind you, but still, only having one company on the contract was
ludicrous, particularly considering that there is another reputable
binder within the state. Several large libraries had to incur the cost
($10-20,000) to switch to this out-of-state binder.

We all now are faced with an equally maddening situation. The state has
recently awarded the contract to that in-state binder I just mentioned,
plus another one in Virginia. Quite a few libraries are now going to
have to switch, some of them for the second time in three years!

The binderies involved:

      Heckman Bindery, North Manchester, IN
      This company has been on the state contract for 26 years, and had
      the state contract by themselves for two years

      Southeastern Bindery; formerly ICI-Ruzicka
      This is the in-state bindery I spoke of

      American-East, located in Virgina
      This is a newcomer to most of us

I have several questions for members of this list:

1) Can you supply a good source for a standard evaluative checklist of
binders' services? I would like to forward this to our State Division of
Purchasing and Contracts, and also would like to use it myself if we
must change binders.

2) Can anyone supply anecdotes of similar problems in your state or
region? I would like to think this problem is not particular to us
(misery loves company).

3) If anyone would like to comment on the service or quality of work of
these binders from a conservation point of view I would appreciate your
private reply. It will not be necessary to comment on Heckman's
services/quality because that is the binder coming off our contract and
is the one my institution has used for many years. Please only comment
on Southeastern or American-East.

Needless to say, small to medium sized universities do not have the
special needs of larger or more specialized collections. Public schools
and community colleges have different needs still. It is impossible for
a state or region to have unified needs in this realm. Consequently, we
have a job ahead of us in attempting to convey these concerns to our
state purchasing agents. Binders are NOT like vendors of rubber bands and
paper clips!

My last request: if representatives of any of these binderies are
members of this list, please refrain from any comment, if you will. It
could be construed as commercial advertisement, which may not be
appropriate here. I am merely looking for feedback from librarians and
conservators.  I hope you understand.

Thanks much,

Eleanor I. Cook
Serials Librarian
Belk Library
Appalachian State University
Boone, NC 28608
704-262-2786 (wrk)
704-262-3001 (fax)

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 7:29
                 Distributed: Saturday, October 2, 1993
                        Message Id: cdl-7-29-008
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