Q. What does it mean when a book's status is listed as "at bindery"?

The “bindery” status means that a periodical is unavailable until it is returned from the bindery where it has been sent.  When the library purchases print periodicals, individual issues are sent to a bindery where they are bound and turned into hardcover journal volumes by year. Occasionally, paperback books may also be sent to the bindery. These will simply appear as "checked out" until they are returned. The whole process usually takes about a month since volumes are sent in batches to be bound.