See the charts below for the trim sizes, bindings, and paper options we offer for the books we print. We also offer printing on the inside of the cover and perforated pages for some of the paperback books we print.
The charts and information shown below are from the Trim Size Matrix and can be found on the last two pages in the File Creation Guide, click HERE to access the guide.
Duplex Covers (Print inside the cover)
ISO Certificate and what it means
Unavailable Bindings and Products
Many authors stick to one binding type (e.g. paperback only or e-book only) for simplicity and efficiency. Others emulate the traditional pattern used by major publishing houses—simultaneous hardcover and ebook release, followed by paperback release 6 to 12 months later. With Print-On-Demand you can offer all formats at the same time, allowing consumers a choice. For a list of all available trim sizes for each product type, please see the 2 trim size matrix charts below or the last 2 pages in the File Creation Guide.
PAPERBACK BINDING
The perfect bound trade paperback is the most commonly printed book in the indie publishing arena. Its compact, lightweight shape makes it inexpensive to ship, which combined with its modest production cost has made the paperback the print format of choice for any publisher on a budget. Furthermore, many people who habitually read on the go prefer paperbacks, since they are more easily portable and are easier to hold on to than heavier books. Perfect binding involves binding the page block to a printed and laminated coverstock with hot glue.
Unlike many print-on-demand services, IngramSpark supports hardcover bookbinding in a variety of sizes, with or without a dust jacket. Hardcovers produced by IngramSpark are made in two very similar processes: case binding and Digital Cloth™ hardcover binding. In both cases, pages of printed text are combined into a block that is glued to a rigid cover. The difference is that case bound covers are made of cardboard wrapped in paper that has the cover image printed directly on it with either gloss or matte laminate coating, while Digital Cloth™ Covers are made of cardboard covered in either blue or grey paper and coated with textured lamination that gives the book a linen type "feel" and look.
Jacketed Case Laminate hardcovers allow publishers more creativity. With this binding option, books can have jackets matching the image on the hardcover or they can be different.
When designing cover images for hardcover formats, extra bleed space is required in the hardcover templates, due to the paper cover wrapping around the cardboard cover stock.
Spine Text is only available for Digital Cloth™ Hardcover books. Digital cloth Hardcover books are available in either blue or gray.
Up to 42 characters may be used on the spine in the following order and must not exceed the following number of characters per field:
- LEFT: 12 characters
- CENTER: 26 characters
- RIGHT: 12 characters
If the number of characters allowed per field is exceeded, the text will overlap on the printed book.
The available characters include 26 uppercase and lowercase English-alpha letters, numerals 1-10, space, period, comma, a hyphen, quote, apostrophe, and two parentheses.
Please type the text exactly as it should appear on the spine of the finished book.
Spine text may match or be different from the title and contributor information entered under the title information for the book.
Below are charts for the available trim sizes in paperback and hardcover binding options, interior papers available for black & white and color printing, and the minimum and maximum page count for each.
Where available, Jacketed Covers can be set up with either Case Laminate or Digital Cloth™ Covers.
You can choose to have either a gloss or matte laminate coating applied to the cover of your book.
Perforation is available for Black & White and Color interior Perfectbound Paperbacks when you select the Color 50 interior print option. Books are printed on 50#/74gsm white paper in the following trim sizes:
6 x 9, 7 x 10, 7.5 x 9.25, 8 x 10, 8 x 10.88, 8.5 x 9, 8.5 x 11
Blank white cells in the charts below indicate items not available.
Help tip - To view this chart in a larger image you can click the UPDATE button in the top right corner and then click the + to the right of Zoom. 
Perforated interior pages are produced with a tiny line of perforation that allows pages to easily be removed from the book. There is an additional per-page cost for Perforation.
Books with perforated pages are not eligible for sale through Ingram’s distribution channels. Books with perforated pages may only be ordered directly through a publisher’s account.
Additional Perforation Requirements: Perforation of interior pages is available when you select the Color 50 paperback option during title setup. Perfect-bound paperback books with perforated pages are available in limited sizes- see below. Within a publisher’s printed book, the perforation line would be placed 0.5 inches (12.7 mm) from the edge of the binding, positioned parallel to the spine, and applied to all pages of the book interior.
Only available in Standard Color 50lb/74gsm white paper for the following trim sizes:
6 x 9" (229 x 152mm)
7 x 10" (254 x 178 mm)
7.5 x 9.25" (235 x 191mm)
8 x 10" (254 x 203mm)
8.5 x 11" (280 x 216m)
Inside Margin: Recommended minimum 1” (25 mm)
Margins: Recommended minimum 0.5” (13mm) on outer 3 edges
Contact Support for a sample book that contains both perforated pages and duplex printed covers.
What is Duplex Printing?
Duplex printing allows the printing of a sheet of paper on both sides. In the case of a book cover, this allows you to design elements to be printed inside the front and back cover. Books with duplex covers CAN be distributed through Ingram's Global Distribution Network. Contact Support to request a sample book.
NOTE: The bar code and print information on the book's last page cannot be removed.
GLUE: What Type of GLUE Does Lightning Source Use?
We use an EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate) glue furnished by Reynolds Company. This product is petroleum-based.
PAPER SPECIFICATIONS (click HERE to access the current paper information, also shown below)
Groundwood Eggshell Paper is similar to the paper used in mass-market books. On the IngramSpark website, Groundwood Eggshell Paper will be described as "B&W: printed on 38lb eggshell paper (mass market-like)".
- Groundwood Eggshell Paper is currently available in the U.S. and U.K. only
- A book set up to print with Groundwood Eggshell Paper that is printed outside of the U.S. and the U.K. will be automatically converted to 50#/74gsm crème paper (spine widths will be adjusted automatically to accommodate this)
- Australia: In the Australia print facility, books set up to print with groundwood eggshell paper will be printed on 50#/74gsm creme paper
- Global Connect printer partners will print books that are set up with the groundwood eggshell paper option on 50#/74gsm creme paper
- Groundwood Eggshell Paper is available in limited B&W trim sizes, in both paperback and hardcover formats. A list of book types and trim sizes is included below.
- Books printed with Groundwood Eggshell Paper are eligible for distribution
- The print cost for Groundwood Eggshell Paper is the same as our current B&W 50#/74gsm crème and 50#/74gsm white paper print costs.
UNAVAILABLE BINDINGS & PRODUCTS
With Lightning Source Print On Demand (POD) print and manufacturing technology, there are some formats or bindings and products that are not available, due to the fast turnaround time needed for printing the books sold through the global distribution network Ingram offers.
Board Books
Saddle Stitch Binding
Spiral Wire or Plastic-type Binding or Curly O Wire
CD’s / Audiobooks
Spot varnish or Spot UV
IngramSpark does not currently offer CD production for inclusion in physical books we manufacture. Publishers who wish to offer this feature would need to have IngramSpark print the book and once the publisher receives the printed books, they would need to apply/include the disc themselves and sell the books on their own. These books with the audio included could not be sold through Ingram's POD global distribution network.
IngramSpark does not offer audiobook creation services at this time. Publishers looking to find audiobook creation services may find reputable companies listed on our “Experts” page: http://www.ingramspark.com/resources/experts
PAPER SOURCING Guidelines & Sustainability Practices
We only have one Earth, and Lightning Source takes measures to treat it well.
The purpose of print-on-demand book manufacturing is to reduce our environmental impact. Traditional offset printing usually requires large orders in anticipation of sales. Often, any books that go unsold are destroyed. This results in wasted paper, wasted energy, added greenhouse emissions, pulping, and landfill overflows.
At Lightning Source, books are printed in ultra-short runs or only when an order has been received. This print-on-demand model of book manufacturing reduces supply chain waste, and greenhouse emissions, and conserves valuable natural resources.
Lightning Source expects each of its paper suppliers to be environmentally responsible as well, and not use papers sourced from endangered old-growth forests, forests of exceptional conservation value, or the Amazon Basin.
Lightning Source UK Ltd is committed to improving environmental performance by driving down CO2 emissions and reducing, reusing, and recycling waste.
Lightning Source UK Ltd recognizes that what we do today, affects the environment of both current and future generations and we are therefore committed to continuous environmental improvement. Our policy is to manage our businesses in such a manner as to have minimum impact on the environment in which we operate.
What does this mean? ISO certification certifies that a management system, manufacturing process, service, or documentation procedure has all the requirements for standardization and quality assurance. ISO (International Organization for Standardization) is an independent, non-governmental, international organization that develops standards to ensure the quality, safety, and efficiency of products, services, and systems.
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