Rate My Professor Don Tobin

Don Tobin dedicated 46 years to the University of Otago Library Bindery, commencing his tenure as an Assistant Binder on 3 March 1980 at the age of 20. Prior to joining Otago, he completed a bookbinding apprenticeship at Whitcoulls, where he mastered foundational skills such as crafting file insets and albums before advancing to intricate binding techniques. Recruited through a Department of Labour newspaper advertisement, Tobin transitioned to the Bindery, initially housed in the old Central Library Building until its relocation to the Leith Street facility in 1991. In 2001, he succeeded Robert Smith as Bindery Foreman, overseeing operations with a team that utilized equipment from the 1950s, including a backing press featured in the 1959 library documentary film Half a Million Books.

Under Tobin's leadership, the Bindery processed approximately 80,000 periodicals and 20,000 theses, with periodical binding comprising 95% of the workload until thesis binding was formalized as an official service in 2000. The operation supported key university research initiatives, including early bindings for the Dunedin Study under Professor Richie Poulton, as well as materials from Dr Foss Leach's department and Professor Helen Leach. Early colleagues included former Foreman Ad van Egmond and Nesta Spittle. Tobin contributed to numerous library exhibitions and special projects, providing expert binding for displays such as Constructing the Author in Medieval and Early Modern Books, In Search of Scotland, and Printer in Residence Programme outputs, including custom bindings and folders alongside collaborators like Tara McLeod and Inge Doesburg. The Bindery's volume declined with the rise of digital publishing, from annual peaks exceeding 2,800 theses and 40,000 periodical backlogs to about 400 theses in recent years. Tobin retired on 3 March 2026, concluding his career with plans to travel alongside his wife Liz, leaving a legacy of preserved scholarly materials central to Otago's academic heritage.