There are many different types of binding. The most popular (and economical) is called "perfect bound" binding. In this process the edges of the substrate (base material, usually paper) are roughed and a hot strip of glue is added. Then, over the hot glue a cover is applied.
Mechanical binding is used prominently for books with short runs (25 to 500 prints) or P.O.D. texts (print-on-demand). In this process, the substrate is punched through with a press, and a spiral or rivet binding is threaded through. Traditionally, this is acceptable for the office environment but not the commercial book market.
Case binding is the process used for hardcover books. This process requires wrapping a turned-edge hard cover around a perfect or mechanically bound book. Due to the difference in materials, the process is more intricate than the other two, and consequently more expensive.
In addition to binding dictating how the printed text is classified, the type of offset press also plays a role. Essentially the difference in offset presses is how the paper is fed into the press.
A sheet-fed offset press is a press in which the substrate is fed into it in single sheets and each sheet is printed individually. The printed substrate is then collected in a tray and stacked.
In a web-fed offset press, the substrate is fed into the press from a single, continuous roll. After printing, the roll is either rewound or is cut into individual sheets. Web-fed offset presses print at a higher speed than sheet-fed, and are consequently more economical.
The last aspect that dictates how a book is printed is how the text is transferred from a primary source to the press to be replicated.
For the mass distribution of texts the process of "prepress" (also known as "makeready") is used. In this process the desired pages are photographed using a high-resolution camera, and are later transferred to plates in order to be mass printed.
There is also an option for P.O.D. printing, or print-on-demand. This process is ideal for short runs (between 25 and 500 prints,) but is undesirable for mass distribution. Essentially the process is digital printing, or high-speed copying. A digital file from a page-layout program connects to a high-speed copier, where it is then transferred to a digital printer and is printed immediately. Often P.O.D. printing is available at shops with normal printing, copying or binding facilities.
In the end, every variable will dictate precisely how the printing process will function. For example, a more dense substrate will dictate what type of offset press and binding can be used for the book. Substrate, ink, length and durability all must be considered while deciding which printing route is best for you or your author.