The Nation's Leader in Quality Book Binding
& Post Press Services Since 1985
It’s hard to believe the new year is already a month old. And you know what that means: Valentine’s Day is coming up fast! Have you been looking for the perfect gift for your significant other? You can’t go wrong with the classic chocolate and flowers, but every Valentine’s gift needs a personal touch too. Something that shows how much you care. Something that’s meant to last. Something from the heart.
While e-books have enjoyed much popularity since 2010, it looks like readers are coming back around to good old-fashioned print. According to Bielsen BookScan, sales of paper books were up 2.4% last year.
This is a good sign, especially after it looked like e-books were poised to take a commanding share of the market after an explosion in growth in 2010. Growth has since slowed down in the e-book world, and e-books now make up a little more than a quarter of book sales in the U.S.
So why are we seeing a return to print? Here are a few noteworthy reasons:
Paperback books are one of the most versatile book designs about there. Their light weight makes paperbacks easily portable for reading on the go. Perfect binding, the process by which soft cover / paperback books are made, is a great binding solution for a variety of different projects. Perfect binding creates a durable and professional product that will accommodate all of your needs. With so many different perfect binding styles available, it’s easy to find a binding technique that fits the needs of your project. Learn more about perfect binding and its applications in our blog!
For print material that needs a durable, professional housing, case binding is the ideal solution. Case binding is the process by which hard cover books are made. Hard cover books have a number of advantages, not the least of which being their durability. Their professional finish, combined with the options available for customization of hard cover books, makes this style of binding the best choice for all sorts of different projects. Learn more about case binding and hard cover books in our blog!
We’ve talked a lot in our blog about how there are lots of benefits to reading on paper versus reading on a screen. Research suggests that readers get more information and retain it better when they consume it on print versus on a screen. And despite the rise in popularity of ebooks, print book sales still make up a solid majority of the market.
Now, two more data points are suggesting that print is still the way to go. Learn more about how print is helping college students study and how it’s helping everyone sleep!
With the holiday season in full swing, many gift givers are choosing custom books as a thoughtful and heartfelt gift for that special someone. But even after the holidays are over, custom books are still an ideal gift for any occasion. This week, we’ll talk about some ideas for custom book gifts for different occasions, and we’ll show off a few custom books projects we’ve completed recently. Read on to learn more about all of the creative things you can do with custom books and how to tailor them to any occasion!
Corporate Gifts
Do you have a corporate officer retiring? Wondering how to commemorate their time with your organization and give them something to remember you by? How about a custom book? You can include letters from employees, friends, and family members with a personal message that they can treasure forever. Include newspaper clippings, photos of the team, and more to make this gift one that will always bring back great memories for the recipient.
Anniversaries
Do you have a special anniversary coming up? A custom book is a thoughtful way to celebrate your anniversary and makes for a lasting keepsake that your partner will love forever. Include that pair of movie tickets from your first date, your wedding vows, pictures from your honeymoon, and anything else you have that is special to your relationship. A great way to celebrate your love for each other!
Graduation
Is your son or daughter graduating from college after the upcoming spring semester? Now is a great time to start working on a custom book to celebrate their achievement. Include their acceptance letter, first dorm assignment letter, photos of them on campus and with friends, and anything else you can think of to remind them of the time they spent there. When he or she is missing their college days, they’ll always be able to look back and smile with their custom book!
Birthday
Looking for a unique birthday gift? Custom books work great for this occasion too. Give your friend or family member something different this year with a thoughtful custom book. Chronicle your friendship with a lifelong friend in the book, or give your grandmother or grandfather a family tree book to celebrate the family and its many ties.
Below are some pictures of custom book projects we’ve done.
Custom books allow you to get creative with your gift. Choose from a variety of material options and styles. To learn more about our custom books, contact us today!
The holidays are here, which means it’s gift shopping time. If you’re looking for the perfect gift for your friend or family member, have you considered a custom book? Custom books are a great gift for that book lover who has a special place in your heart. Customize their favorite book to make it a unique version that stands out, or give them a creation of your own that is one-of-a-kind. Learn more about custom gift books below!
Looking to customize someone’s favorite book? There are plenty of ways you can do so. Foil stamping, for example, can add a custom foil stamp on the binding, marking the book as their own. Custom handwork can be used to create beautiful sewn designs in the binding. Create a custom dust jacket with your own design and a die cut hole to reveal the binding work. Custom cases can also be produced to make a perfect accompaniment to the book. Custom cases protect the book and serve as another creative project in and of themselves. And these are just a few of the options you have. To learn more about how to customize a special book, contact us today.
Starting from Scratch?
Do you have an idea for a book project that you want to give as a gift? Let us help you design it from scratch. We can help you select the right binding style and custom attributes to go along with it. Our experience in book binding means we know what works best for your project’s needs.
Book Repair
Another idea for a book-related gift is to repair a favorite book. Advantage Book Binding does book repair including Bible repair, so you can restore your loved one’s favorite book to it’s former condition.
Even More Custom Book Gift Ideas
For even more custom book gift ideas, consider designing a photo album, family tree book, or custom journal. We’ll help you design your project for the ultimate in form and function. You can read more about some of our custom book gift ideas in our blog. And don’t forget, a gift certificate always makes a great gift too!
This holiday season, give your family and friends a gift that is meant to last. To learn more about our gift books, contact us today!
Big news from Advantage Book Binding! We’re now offering Japanese ribbon binding as one of our binding services.
Japanese ribbon binding is an artistic binding style that uses an intricately laced ribbon to bind loose leafs together. Twine is also sometimes used in place of ribbon. Both create a nice, homemade look that gives the project you’re working on a very personal feel. This makes this binding style ideal for gift books, and with the holiday season coming up, this is a great idea to keep in mind! Check out some photos of Japanese ribbon binding projects we’ve done below.
Wondering what projects work well with Japanese ribbon binding? Here are a few examples:
Interested in learning more about Japanese ribbon and twine binding? Contact Advantage Book Binding today! We work with you to design and build your book binding project from the ground up using the binding solution that’s right for you. And don’t forget that with the holidays coming up, we have lots of great gift book ideas! Please contact us today for more information, and keep up with us on Facebook, Google +, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
If you’re looking for cost-effective book binding solution that gives you a lot of value for your dollar, mechanical binding might be what you’ve been searching for. This week, we’ll talk about mechanical binding, and why it makes such an efficient binding solution for so many different projects.
You probably know mechanical binding by the name spiral binding. All of those spiral bound notebooks you had in school? Those were mechanical bindings! And while all spiral bound bindings are mechanical bindings, not all mechanical bindings are spiral bindings. This is just one type of mechanical binding. So what are some of the others?
Wire-O Binding
This intricate mechanical binding style involves the use of a double wire that spiral binds the book and creates a nice looking hinge of double loops that holds the leaves and cover together. This creates a book that is not only lay-flat but can open and be folded over onto itself like a newspaper. The ends of the hinges are hidden inside the back cover, giving this binding style a nice clean look. Very versatile, and great for practically any project.
Fully Concealed Wire-Bound Hardback Books
This binding is a wire-O style except the wire-O is completely concealed in a hard case binding. This protects the wire, making it even more durable, and creates a clean appearance with no wire on the outside. These books are also lay-flat.
Plastic Coil Spiral Binding
This binding style is great for producing large quantities of product at a cost-effective price. You can customize the color, pitch and size options for the plastic coil, and the result is crushproof, making it very durable.
Plastic Comb Binding
This mechanical binding style involves a plastic binding filament with teeth that can be opened to allow hole-punched sheets to be inserted and secured into the binding. This has the benefit of allowing you to add additional pages if needed, making it a very flexible, and yet durable binding solution.
Mechanical binding is a great all-around binding solution for many different projects. For lay-flat projects especially, mechanical binding is a top choice. Talk to Advantage Book Binding today to learn if your next project could benefit from mechanical binding. Please contact us today for more information, and keep up with us on Facebook, Google +, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Many families have a Bible that has been passed down for generations. These family heirlooms have a lot of sentimental value, and many want to preserve them for future generations. Bibles can become worn down with the passage of time and normal wear and tear that accumulates over the years. But this doesn’t mean that your old family Bible doesn’t have many generations left in it. With our expert Bible repair service,your heirloom Bible can be restored to its former luster, and preserved for many years to come.
Bible Repair
Our expert craftsmen are experienced in all kinds of book repair. From minor touch-ups to full restoration, we cover the entire spectrum of Bible restoration. We also do custom additions to suit, including changing the end sheets, adding ribbons, or placing a customized imprint on the cover and spine. Specialty finishing and handwork are available. And for even more protection, we offer customized slipcase or clamshell boxes, designed specifically for your book. This is a great way to protect your investment in the book’s restoration and also serves as a nice visual piece.
How Can We Help?
When you fill out your Bible repair order form, you may find you have some questions about the process. Our knowledgeable staff can help you find the repair solution you’re looking for. We’ll guide you through the process of selecting color, materials, and customization options based on your specific book. We’ve helped many families over the years restore their Bible and preserve an important family heirloom.
If you’d like to learn more about Bible repair, contact Advantage Book Binding today. As we’re approaching the holiday season, keep in mind that Bible repair makes for a great gift. Please contact us today for more information, and keep up with us on Facebook, Google +, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
