A book is a documented medium for recording important information in the form of text or illustrations, usually written on many printed pages enclosed by a durable cover and bounded by a binding. The most technical term for this physically compact structure is binding. There are two basic types of binding: overlay folding.
Overlay binding – Also known as single fold, it is when the text and illustrations are printed on one side only. This means the pages are folded one after the other. The folded pages are placed over each other, with each page placed exactly where it should be, on the previous page. For example, a book’s Table of Contents would appear on the first page, then the succeeding pages. It is not necessary to indicate which page numbers will be used for the same book, unless you are prepared to alter the numbering scheme for each volume of the book.
Folding book binding – In this type, the pages are stapled or glued to a leather or cloth foundation. The pages are placed over the foundation in order to form a book-like shape. The binding is then done using multiple layers of fabric, such as twine, saran or nylon. The number of layers is chosen based on the weight of the book and the thickness of the book itself.
Interior and exterior gildings – In interior binding, the pages of the book are bound between strips of leather or cloth, similar to those used in book bindings. They run along the entire length of the book and cover the whole page. On the other hand, exterior binding uses only a single strip of leather or cloth around the edge of the pages. Exterior bindings are more fragile than the interior kind, so they are usually accompanied by an acid-free interior cloth.
Booklet binding – Also called accordion binding or booklet folding, this type involves the stapling or gluing of pages to a rigid backing board. The pages are inserted into the board in the same way as they are to enter other types of bookbinding. A variety of binding styles are available for booklet printing, such as saddle stitch, decorative boards, and even a self-adhesive version known as tabs. Tabbed versions are most often used for manuals with many sections.
Hardcover/paperback binding – As the name implies, hardcover/paperback binding involves the binding of a copy of the book onto paper. It’s most popular with books written in the “hard” format, such as medical or legal texts. However, some are now available in digital formats that work very well for e-books.