| Printed books still maintain a certain cache which is | | | | use B1 size presses. Perhaps a Heidelberg 102 |
| unlikely to ever be replaced by sitting hunched | | | | book printing press for example. |
| over your laptop screen or even with one of | | | | This large format equipment is capable of printing |
| those funky book reading devices which have | | | | pages of books quickly and efficiently, meaning |
| become popular. So book printing and printers are | | | | that for every pass through the printing press up |
| definitely here to stay. | | | | to 18 sides of your book are produced at once. |
| The truth is that most people simply prefer to | | | | These large sheets of paper are then folded and |
| have a book that they can physically hold in their | | | | trimmed in order to create your finished printed |
| hands. The individual characteristic of each page, | | | | book and not surprisingly there is quite a skill |
| slightly creased or perhaps grubby if it's been | | | | involved in ensuring that the pages of your book |
| shared gives the book a sense of having been | | | | all end up in the right order. That is a job which |
| enjoyed by others. And of course there is nothing | | | | falls to two people within this process. |
| which can quite match a book sitting on you | | | | The first is an expert at pre-press. He or she will |
| bookshelf. When people see the book titles that | | | | pre-flight your book by using a computer to |
| you have read they will automatically make a | | | | ensure that all the pages are lined up and |
| judgement about the kind of person you happen | | | | paginated in the right order on those monster size |
| to be. | | | | B1 sheets of paper. |
| So if you need to get a book printed where can | | | | The second key person is the finisher who will |
| you turn? | | | | take those giant sheets of paper and trim them |
| The answer is actually relatively few places, | | | | down to size so that your book can be crafted |
| because whilst there are plenty of general jobbing | | | | together. |
| printers around, there are far fewer capable of | | | | Finishing off your printed book. |
| printing your book. | | | | Of course books come in all shapes and sizes and |
| The essence of good book printing is to find a | | | | with hard and soft covers. A soft back book is |
| printing company who have the right kit. It is no | | | | usually perfect bound. This is a process of adding |
| good printing a book on a small printing press if | | | | glue to the spin of the book and is also |
| you need even a relatively short print run, | | | | sometimes known as PUR binding or PUR bound. |
| because books tend to have a high number of | | | | Meanwhile a hard back printed book might have all |
| pages and small presses are not therefore best | | | | manner of additions like a dust jacket or fancy |
| suited to print books. | | | | finishes which can include foil blocking and all |
| What you really need is a printing company who | | | | manner of other techniques. |