sheet bundle thickness detection sensor st 2 and gripping sensor sg are provided on the movable clamper 13 a the second sheet bundle thickness detection means st 2 detects the sheet bundle thickness st 08 these detection values are used to set control conditions such as the amount of adhesive to apply using the adhesive application means 20 the coversheet setting position of the coversheet conveyance means 30 the idle position of the cover binding means 40 and the trimming blade idle position of the trimming means 50 and the like at the same time as the second sheet bundle thickness detection the bookbinding control unit 65 receives the gripping end signal from the gripping end sensor sg then rotatingly drives the turning motor mb to turn the sheet bundle substantially 90 u00b0 then the inner leaf sheets handed over in a horizontal orientation from the inner leaf tray 2 are turned substantially vertically to be conveyed along the bookbinding path 5 which is also vertically oriented the bookbinding control unit 65 conveys the inner leaf sheets and sets them at a predetermined adhesive application position using the elevator motor mc of the inner leaf conveyance means 10 st 09 at that time the bookbinding control unit 65 varies the speed to convey the inner leaf sheets to the application position x using the inner leaf conveyance means 10 according to the bundle makeup information for that purpose the bookbinding control unit 65 in an instance of a u201c.