The Yearbook Blog

So your pages are nearing completion and all that’s left is that pesky index and the calla– . . . colon– . . . cloho– . . .

colophon

Yeah, *that* thing.

So what is a colophon?

It’s a recorded history of your book; what was behind the memories; how you created this publication. It includes as many details as you want or as few as you need, but try to be accurate. If your rival school picks up your 2010 book and is overcome with envy when they see your cover, tell them all that went into making it: the fonts, the colors, the cover material, foils, and embossing. This way they can do it for their 2011 book and YOU can take all the credit!

Many schools combine the colophon with thank yous and farewelsl to key people. Remember the particularly helpful teachers who didn’t yell at your 63rd interruption, the secretaries who helped you identify over 300 students, the custodians who cleaned up your deadline pizza parties, parents who brought all the junk food needed to get through the year, and your ADVISER!  These people are more important to the creation of your book than the 100 lb. paper.

Check out a few examples here and bask in the glory of a job well done!

Don’t forget to add a colophon to one of your final pages. It lists all the technical details that went into the printing of your book: the location of the plant, the weight of the paper, how the cover was made, the types of computers used, how much books sold for, etc. Books include these for reference purposes only. (Want to see a real world example? Check the back of any Harry Potter book.)

To download a colophon template, go to the Adviser Resources section of at www.theyearbookladies.com.

*This entry is part of “The Yearbook Ladies’ A to Zs of Yearbook”
project. If you’d like to download the “C” card, go to the “Adviser
Resources” section of www.theyearbookladies.com

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