BOOKBINDER

A bookbinder can find work in binderies, at universities, and at libraries. A bookbinder can also be self-employed. Being close to a major metropolitan area is an advantage for a bookbinder and can result in larger commissions. But, says Gouey “Good bookbinding can be done everywhere. The most important advertising tool is word of mouth. If one is gifted, the word goes around quickly.”

In some ways, the outlook for bookbinding as a career is uncertain. Print-on-demand, says Gouey, “is very much a product of the Internet and my definition of it is simply photocopying rare or otherwise unobtainable books that are no longer copyrighted or are in the public domain.” He adds that it is a growing business with out-of-print book dealers. “I believe that publishing will come to this in the future, thus cutting the printing cost, waste and all, getting closer to a more ecologically friendly industry,” says Denis.