Color Guide
About LBS
Proudly 100% employee-owned, LBS is your one-stop shop for bookbinding and luxury packaging materials, delivering expert support, custom converting, and trusted service.
The LBS Guarantee
The LBS Guarantee is simple: You will never be without a solution – we always have accessible options. No matter the challenge, we’ll make sure you have reliable materials to produce outstanding projects every step of the way.
LBS Uniques
Expert Guidance for Products & Processes
Comprehensive Good/ Better/ Best Options
Project-Ready Material Conversion
Our Philosophy: Quality and Service
Our team builds lasting relationships with both our customers and vendors. We listen, learn, and respond—always happy to improve. This guarantees complete satisfaction with high-quality materials and custom solutions.
A Century of Craftsmanship: The LBS Legacy
Family Roots & Dedication to Customer Service
LBS’s journey began in 1921 when Grover and Ernie Hertzberg established a bindery in Des Moines, Iowa, following encouragement from local librarians. Thanks to the brothers’ hard work and dedication to customer service, the Hertzberg Bindery was soon flourishing—even earning contracts in neighboring states. Both men moved their families to Des Moines and built a new building in East Des Moines.
Strategic Shift from Book Binding to Supplying the Industry
The Hertzberg Bindery developed and patented the ground-breaking ability to print covers for periodicals and children’s books. These printed book covers were enormously successful and quickly became popular among public libraries. As a result, the Hertzberg Bindery founded a new company called Library Binding Service, Inc.
Following the Great Depression and World War II, Library Binding Service, Inc. underwent a strategic shift of becoming a leading supplier of bindery materials to book manufacturers across the country. In 1996, the company was renamed LBS while persevering as one of the largest distributors and manufacturers of bookbinding materials in North America.
Ownership That Fuels Continued Growth
Since becoming an employee-owned company in 2014, LBS has continued to thrive through the dedication and shared purpose of our team. Our ESOP structure means that every employee is personally invested in the success of our customers and the quality of our materials. This shared ownership fuels our drive to innovate and evolve with the industries we serve. We’re not just building products—we’re building a future together.
LBS has grown strategically through the acquisitions of Gane Brothers & Lane, FIM Headbands, Cover Material Sales, and Pilgrim Packaging—each expanding our expertise and product offering. These milestones were made possible by our employee ownership culture, which drives long-term thinking, shared commitment, and reinvestment in our company’s future.