lib-s-mocs-kmc364-20140601052623


137 

TECHNICAL NOTE 

HELP: The Automated Binding Records Control System 

An interesting new aspect of library automation has been the appearance 
of commercial ventures established to provide for an effective use of the 
new ideas and techniques of automation and related fields. Some of these 
ventures have offered the latest in information science research and de-
velopment techniques, such as systems analysis, management planning, and 
operations research. Others have offered services based on new procedures, 
for example, computer-produced book catalogs, selective dissemination of 
information services, indexing and abstracting activities, mechanized acqui-
sitions, and catalog card production systems. One innovation is a new 
technique devised for libraries to reduce the clerical effort required to 
prepare materials for binding and to maintain the necessary related records. 

The technique is called HELP, the Heckman Electronic Library Pro-
gram. It was developed by the Heckman Bindery of North Manchester, 
Indiana, with the cooperation of the Purdue University Libraries. 

It was recognized by Heckman's management that the processing of 
10,000 to 20,000 periodicals weekly and the maintenance of over 250,000 
binding patterns would soon become too unwieldy and costly unless more 
efficient procedures were developed. It was additionally realized that any 
new system should also be designed as a means to aid libraries with their 
interminable record-keeping problems. The latter purpose could be accom-
plished by providing a library with detailed and accurate information 
regarding each periodical it binds, and by simplifying the library's method 
of preparing binding slips for the bindery. 

In the fall of 1969, after a detailed analysis, the Heckman Bindery 
Management began the development and programming of a computerized 
binding pattern system. This system was a result of a team effort involving 
management, sales, and production departments. John Pilkington, Data 
Processing manager, directed the installation of the system and Earl Beal 
performed the necessary programming functions. In December of 1971 
approx imately 700 libraries were using the system, and about 100,000 bind-
ing patterns were in the data file . 



138 Journal of Library Automation Vol. 5/2 June, 1972 

As the system was developed, a library's binding pattern data were 
converted to machine-readable form which then made it possible for the 
bindery automatically to provide nearly complete binding slips for each 
periodical title bound. In addition, the system provides an up-to-date 
pattern record for the libraries' files, and the bindery maintains the resultant 
data bank of pattern records as the library notifies it of additions, changes, 
and deletions. In this manner, the bindery expects to establish an efficient 
method for purging the file of out-of-date information. 

The system revolves around four forms: the binding pattern index card, 
the binding slip, the variable posting sheet, and the binding historical 
record. 

The binding pattern index card (Figure 1) is a 5" x 8W' card, pink in 
color, which is a computer printout. One of these cards is retained in the 
library as its pattern record for each set of each periodical bound by the 
library. The data given on the card are essentially the same as those main-
tained by most libraries in their manual pattern £les, except that more detail 
is provided by the HELP system, and the library does not maintain the 
record-the bindery does-in machine-readable form. As changes are made 
to the patterns, the library clerk simply crosses out the old data on the 
appropriate binding slip and writes in the new data. When the bindery 
receives the binding slip, a new index card is produced, among other 
records, and forwarded to the library with the returned shipment of bound 
volumes. The system also provides for one-time changes that do not affect 
the pattern record. 

The data contained on the index cards include the library account num-
ber, the library branch or department code, the pattern number, color, type 
size, stamping position, title (vertical or horizontal spine positions), labels, 
call number, library imprint, and collating instructions. The collating in-
structions, which are listed in the instruction manual provided by the 
bindery, are given as a series of numeric codes. Asterisks are used to indi-
cate the end of a print line. 

The binding slips are also 5" x 8}2'' forms, but they are four-part multiple 
forms, of which three parts are sent to the bindery with the periodical to 
be bound, and one part, a card form, is retained by the library as its "at 
bindery" record. The information required by the binding slip is essentially 
the same as that included on the index card. The library, however, must 
provide the variable data such as volume number(s), date(s), month(s), 
or whatever information is required to identify a specific volume. 

The variable posting sheet (Figure 2) is an 8)~" x 11" form that is used by 
the library when it sends several volumes or copies of a volume to the 
bindery at the same time. Since the bindery cannot determine beforehand 
the number of physical volumes of a title a library will want to send for 
binding at a given time, it sends to the library only one printed-out binding 
slip to be used for the next volume of a given serial. If multiple volumes of 



-r-~---------------------------------------------:r--
0 PATTERN CUST. ACCT . NO. I LIB RAR Y' I PATTERN NO. I •• 1. COLO~. . , I TRIM I SPINE ICUST . PAT. NO. 'I' 0 

I T'"E SLOT OR I I oTUI I I I SIZE START I 
I ::: LIBRARY I 

0 <( ~ ..... oo z z 0 I <( 0 POST • 

0 

0 

0 

0 
,, 

' 0 

-o 

·-' 0 
·~ f 

·o 

0 ~ ACCENTS I ~ 
z ~ TO I : 

I rr.· 
llol 
~ 
!II 
llol 
I: 

I o 
I Z 

<( 

::E 

I i 

u 
z 

·> I a: 
LLI 
0 

I ~ 
I ID 

z 
<( 

:1 
:Iii: 

I ~ 
X 
LLI 
X 

I ... 

v 
E 

• T 
I 
c 
A 
L 

F 
R L 
0 A 
N 0 
T E 

L 
0 • • 

CALl 

IMPRIIIIT 

PANEL 
l,..lllll$ 

COLL.ATl 

8 lEN . S£W P£RMA · FILM VOl.. OTY. 
1 ovt• U: " U fiiiOUI u•• 
NU... 0, 

~: r TAl"[ STUI FILLER SEP. COVEA StU 
R STU8 W/STUI SHEETS 11111 PAPU 

y X 

TITLE I 0 ~ 
I F '" 

REQUIRED I ~ 
I NEW TITLE I I : 

I 0$ 
SAMPLE I I Q. 
OR RUB 

JOB NO. 

COVER NO. 

0 
c 

o: .. . 
: 
3 

0~ 
: 
• 
! 

Of 
'I Q_l 
' + 

~---- - ------ . 'F•a ( i o 1 - -- . }, 4 
Fig. 1. Binding pattern index card. 



140 Journal of Library Automation Vol. 5/ 2 June, 1972 

BINDING PATIERN VARIABLE POSTING SHEET 
1HE. HECKMAN BIN'DE.~Y, INC. 

CUST. ACCT. NO. 

1
~.18RJ.RV rATTERN NO.,l-ISRARV NAME 

PERIODICAl- NAME 

'POST PATTERW VARIABl-E INFORMATION FROM \.EFT TO RIGHT IN SEQI./li:NC'E 

I 

z 
3 

4 

5 . 
6 ; .... 

'-......_~ .... "-....... - ,_......-"'\_'-~r··-~ ........... ..____.._ · -l, )~ 
I / -- - ~ 

Fig. 2. Variable posting sheet. 

a set are to be bound, the library clerk provides the variable information for 
the first volume by using the single binding slip, and the variable data for 
each additional volume of the same title are posted by the clerk on the 
posting sheet. The bindery will automatically produce from its pattern data 
bank the binding slips necessary for binding the additional volumes that are 
listed on the posting sheet. 

The binding historical record (Figure 3) is a form provided for the use 
of the library if it desires a permanent record of every volume bound. The 
use of this form is not required by the system; it is simply a convenience 
record for the library binding staff. The form is printed on the back of the 
pattern index card. Spaces are provided for volume, year, and date sent to 
the bindery, and most of the back of the card is available for posting. 

All data fields are of fixed length with the maximum size of the records 
at 328 characters. Some of the data formats are shown in Figure 4. A few 
of the data fields in the example need additional explanation. The fifth field 
labeled "PRINT" refers to the color of the spine stamping, i.e., gold, black, 
or white. The "TRIM #1 & 2" fields are for bindery use only, and indicate 
volume size within certain groups for printing purposes. The "SPINE" field 
is also for bindery use, and it indicates the size of type that can be used 
according to the width of the spine. "PRODUCT NO." refers to certain 
types of publications such as magazines, matched sets, or items which will 
be pamphlet (inexpensively) bound. 

I 
I 



0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

TITLE : 

PUBLISHER ' S ADDRESS: 

VOLUME YEAR 

-------------------· 

BINDING RECORD 0 

0 

DATE SENT VOLUME YEAR DATE SENT 0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

Fig. 3. Binding historical record. 



,..---
1 
I 
I 
I 
I 

I 
I 
I 
I 
I 

IBr., 

Print 

Punch 

Program 
Control 
Card 

Print 

Punch 

Program 
Control 
Card 

Print 

Punch 

Program 
Control 
Card 

L-----

96 COLUMN CAl 

Card Name ______________ _ 

I 12 1314 15 1 6 171 81 91 10 11 112 113 14l15l16 l11 l18l 19 20 l21l22 l23l24l25l26 l21 l28 l29 l30 131132133 134 35136 3Ji38 l39 l40 1411421 43144145 

l 
I 

' 
Print Line 1 I p 

ier 1 ' T I 
I 

CUST. NO. LIB PATTERN p MAT. TRIM ~IM s CUSTOMER NO. NO. R #I p 
1 I I I PATTERN 

' 
N I N I 
T 

I 
E NO. I 

' 
I 2j 3 4j5j_6 1 18 19 110 11112113 14li5l 16 l11 l1 8 ll 9 20121 122 23124125126 21128129130 31132133134 35136 31138139140 I 411 42 143144 145 

I II I I I I I II I I I I I Ill Ill II I I II I Ill II 

Card Name------- --------

I 2 13} 4 }5}6 1 I 8 I 9 I 101 II 1121 131 14115 116111 118 119 20121122123124125126 1211281 29 130 I 311 32 133 I 34 I 35 l36l31 l38l39l40 141 42143144 14511 

l 
I 

' 
Print Line 1 I p,, 

er 1 I Ti ' I 
CUST. NO. LIB PATTERN 

I 

' ' NO. NO. I 
!2 ' ) COLLATE (CON~.) -~ 

' I 
I 
I 
I 

I 2 I 3 4 I 5 I 6 118 19 }10 11}12 }13 J4li5l16 I 11 I 18 I 19 20 I 21 I 22123 I 24125126121 I 28129130 131132133 I 34 I 35136 131 138 I 39140 I 41 42 143 14414511 

I I I I II I I , IIIII I I I I I 11 I I I I 11 111111 I I II II 
Card Name ______________ _ 

1 2 I 3 14 I sl 6 I 1 I sl 91 10 111 112 j 13 14l15l 16l11 l1 8}19 20 }21}22}23}24}25}26}21}28 }29 }30 l31 }32 }33}34l35l36l37j38 l39l40 ]41 ]42 143 144]45~ 

Print Line 1 Pr 
ier 1 Ti 

CUST. NO. LIB PATTERN 

I ~ NO. NO. 
5 

I 2 I 3 41516 1 I 8 I 9 I 10 II 112113 14115 I 16117 I 18 I 19 20121 I 22123124125126 I 27128129130 I 31 I 32 133 134 I 35136131138 I 39140 I41I42I43I44I4SL~ 

I I I IJJ ll . Ill I I I I l l I I l I ll l Ill l l l l l l l l l I ll 
Fig. 4. Data formats. 



----, 

1 J MULTIPLE LAYOUT FORM 

Print Lines 3 and 4 
Tier3 

GX21·9088·0 UM /050 " 
Pnnted •n U S A 

"NO of,Offt'IS_,.,~,..\w~l,.. 

"1f.---------'--COLLATE----------------l 

11 Line 2 Print Lines 3 and 4 

r2 Tier 3 

----------------------~----VARIABLE ------------------------~----~ 

1t Line 2 Print Lines 3 and 4 
r2 Tier3 

-----VARIABLE (CONTt) ------------------~ 
' ' 

I 
I 
I 
I 
~ 

l 
I 
I 
I 
I _____ J 



144 Journal of Library Automation Vol. 5/ 2 June, 1972 

l. lllRARY HAMil!. 'UfT. ACCT. NO, Llll - -
r: HOW 80UNP I PRO.~~~ ;::;:. 

J'IITTflll NO.,I'ItiNY I"AYIJttA..:l TRIM 
-

I ~''NI-l CU$ T. I"AYTEitN NO. 
I 

!rvPE nor DR 'PATTER-N PR.l)o.ITlNG- ~t::TU P 
SIXE HART 

~ 
lfOR.IX:OlHAL. 

lv 
VEil TICAL 

' I 

Fr? 
FRONl' 

OR. 

LABELS 

VARIABLE fGl 
CAFYIONS 

CALL ~ c 
IMPJliNl' ~ 

I 
PANEL. ~ 
LINE:S p 

COLLATINGom 

~ 

Fig. 5. Pattern printing setup. 



-

Technical Note / HAMMER 145 

One additional form used in the system is for Heckman's internal opera-
tions. That is a data input form known as the "pattern printing setup" 
(Figure 5). This form is used by the bindery's input clerks to prepare new 
binding patterns for conversion to machine-readable form. The data pre-
scribed by the form is much like that required by the binding pattern index 
card, except that data tags are shown for keypunching purposes. 

The system operates on an IBM System 3 computer with two 5445 disk 
drives and a 1403Nl printer. The disk drives provide a total of 40,000,000 
characters of on-line storage in addition to the 7,500,000 usable characters 
provided by the System 3 itself. Five 5496 Data Recorders are used for data 
conversion. The programs are written in RPG2. 

The development of computer-oriented commercial services for libraries 
suggests that, perhaps if librarians wait long enough, they will not have to 
automate their libraries as commercial ventures will do it for them. The 
rapid appearance of systems-analysis firms, commercial and societal ab-
stracting and indexing services, management and planning consulting 
groups, and data processing service bureaus tends to bear this theory out. 
At the very least, libraries will not be able to automate internally without 
providing for the incorporation of such ready services into their systems. 
When a service such as HELP is made available at no additional charge, 
there is no way for libraries to avoid automation. 

Donald P. Hammer 

Donald P. Hammer is Associate Director for Library and Information 
Systems, University of Massachusetts Library, Amherst. At the time the 
system d escribed in this article was developed, Mr. Hammer was the head 
of Libraries Systems Development at Purdue University.