Glossary

The following is a list of commonly used terms within the industry of printing and publishing-on-demand. For a more expansive and in-depth glossary, a great resource to visit is The Free Encyclopedia of Print at PrintWiki. Print Wiki provides information regarding the printing and graphic communication industry. It is a community where people can contribute and edit content. Essentially the site is continually updated, expanded and improved upon.
Binding Edge

The side of the book where the pages or signatures will be connected together or bound.
Bleed

Any element that falls directly to or beyond the outside edge of a page thus containing no margin. If you wish for an element to bleed off the edge of the paper you must create a book that is larger then the desired finished size. Any part falling over the designated crop mark will be removed when the book is trimmed and will not appear in the finished book.
Book Block

The inner section of the book.
Case Binding

Pages are placed together in signatures then sewn together. The book block is then glued to a rigid board creating a hardcover book.
Color Profile

The working color space in which you create, edit, and output your document. It is recommended you work in Adobe 1998 RGB when editing all color documents and then allow the document to be converted to CMYK before printing.
Cover

The outside of the book. The cover along with the spine wrap around the book block.
Crop Mark

The line on which the page will be cut. Anything falling beyond the crop marks WILL NOT appear in the finished book.
Gutter

The area in the middle of a two page spread. It is recommended that important objects are not placed near the gutter, as they may not be visible once the book is bound.
Leaf

One half of each sheet of folded paper.
Legal Binding

Pages or signatures are sewn together and then glued to a rigid board and spine board to create a hard cover book.

This is most commonly how most legal documents are bound.
Library Binding

An older cover of a book is replaced with a new cover.
Live Printing Area

The primary text and graphics of a page.
Margin

Empty space between the trim and the live printing area. Margins allow the reader to hold the book without covering up important information, provide a resting area for the eye, and block outside distraction beyond the realm of the book.
Perfect Bound

paper cover or softcover is attached to the spine of the book block using a flexible adhesive.
Ex.) Paperback novels
Portable Document Format

PDF is a computer file format developed by Adobe Systems that provides a digital image of a printed or to-be-printed document. These files can be then universally sent to publishers or the web without requiring the original hardware, software, or operating system.

*Note - make sure all fonts are embedded and all image files
properly linked when creating document PDF
Resolution

the amount of detail available in an image. Low-resolution images (those generally less then 300 pixels per inch) will appear blurry or unclear and may lead to an undesired finished product. It is recommended that all images should be at 300 ppi (pixels per inch) or larger in order to be appropriate for desired output.
Saddle Stitch

pages are folded and placed together and then stapled down the spine. Staples are only visible in the direct middle page and outer edge.
Signature

two or more sheets of paper stacked and folded as a group. Several signatures attached together create the book.
Spine

part of the cover that wraps over the binding edge. The spine generally contains the title of the book and the name of the author.
Template

a model with customized format, layout, and structure that is ready for users to add content
Trim

the part of the page that will be cut and discarded.
Wire O

Pages are placed together in a singular pile and holes are punched down the bind edge. A wire is then run down the bind edge through the holes to act as the spine of the book.