Anonymous Bookbinder is owned and operated by John Townsend, who has been a bookbinder for over 30 years. Although most recently active in information technology, digital information access and related fields, he is also a librarian with a broad background and extensive experience in conservation and preservation.

He began his professional career as head of the Conservation Lab at the New York Public Library. He has also served as head of the NY State Conservation/Preservation Program, and as a preservation planning and evaluation consultant for SOLINET, the Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC), the National Library of Indonesia, the World Bank Global Environmental Facility, and for many other organizations and institutions. Immediately prior to starting Anonymous Bookbinder he was executive director of the New York State Higher Education Initiative.

Anonymous Bookbinder emphasizes conservation treatments, although a wide variety of traditional hand binding services are also available.  Anonymous Bookbinder can also provide consulting services for collection surveys and assessments; preservation program evaluation and planning, strategic planning, staff training, and other related services.