A self-cover book is a book where the cover is made from the same paper stock as the interior pages. Self-cover books are generally less expensive to produce than perfect-bound books (where the cover is made from a separate, heavier paper stock), and are often used for lower-priced editions or print-on-demand books.
The term “self-cover” can also refer to a book that has been printed and bound by the same publisher, as opposed to being printed by one publisher and bound by another. In the past, it was common for printers to specialize in one or the other, but with the advent of digital printing, it has become more common for publishers to do both.
A self-cover book is a book whose cover is made from the same paper stock as the interior pages. This type of construction is often used for trade paperback books and perfect bound books. Self-cover books can also be casebound, but this is less common.
The main advantage of a self-cover book is that it is generally less expensive to produce than a hardcover book with a printed jacket. This is because the cover stock for a self-cover book is typically less expensive than the cover stock used for a hardcover book jacket. In addition, the labor costs associated with gluing a self-cover to the book block are typically lower than the labor costs associated with affixing a printed jacket to a hardcover book.
Another advantage of self-cover books is that they can be produced more quickly than hardcover books with jackets. This is because the jacket printing process adds an additional step to the book printing process.
Self-cover books also have a number of disadvantages. One disadvantage is that they are not as durable as hardcover books with jackets. This is because the cover stock of a self-cover book is typically thinner than the cover stock of a hardcover book jacket.