Rebind remix

Because of our affiliation with several large imprints, my company has an entire division specifically for what we call the "rebind".  In a rebind, you're taking something that's already been published and printed, cutting off the spine, taking out just the pages you want, and putting it all back together as a brand-new book.  It's a cost-effective way to manage excess inventory and customize a book in full color when a print run is too small and too expensive.  It requires a whole new way of looking at a book, and the instructions an editor has to give reflect that.  A loose* version would look like this:

Remove covers and spine. Discard.

Keep front endpaper “A Brief Guide to Getting the Most from This Book”.

Remove pp. i – ii (Title Page–© page). Discard.

Print and insert custom Title p., 1/c

Print and insert custom © p., 1/c

      --[2 pp. total]

Keep pp. iii – P-10 ( Table of Contents – Chapter Text Prep Video)

Keep windowsleeve containing CD-ROM ISBN 012342536X (2 discs).

Keep rear endpaper “Definitions, Rules, and Formulas”.

End of rebind.

*modified to take out all of the super technical stuff, which you don't want to read and I don't want to share. :)

All of the work is purely physical, and will be repeated hundreds of times by the same bindery worker.  Because, yes, rebinds are all done by hand.

The problem is, in our busy season, the books pile up and the same binderies have to produce thousands and thousands of handmade rebind books in the course of just a few weeks.  It makes you wish you could be a little bit more specific with your instructions:

Remove covers and spine. Discard.
Take a big gulp of coffee.
Keep front endpaper “A Brief Guide to Getting the Most from This Book”.
Be careful not to spill your coffee on the book.  They won't like that.
Remove pp. i – ii (Title Page–© page). Discard.
Make sure you put that page in the recycling bin, not on the floor.  We're trying to go green.
Print and insert custom Title p., 1/c
Print and insert custom © p., 1/c
      --[2 pp.]
Now remove the three extra Title Page and copyright page printouts you just put in the new book.  Yes, I know, they stick together sometimes.  But we only need one.
Keep pp. iii – 242 (Table of Contents - end of Chapter 10)
NO, NOT THOSE PAGES!  Put those down!
Hey, pay attention!
Remove pp. 243 - 310 (Chapter 11).  Discard.
Keep pp. 311 - P-10 (Chapter 12 - end of text)
Wake up! You're almost done.
Keep windowsleeve containing CD-ROM ISBN 012342536X (2 discs).
Keep rear endpaper “Definitions, Rules, and Formulas”.
End of rebind.
Get yourself a donut from the coffee room.  You deserve it . . . and you've got a few hundred more rebinds to go.