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Get the phone app too. I've had it going for about a week now & people are actually using it.

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This, on top of starting a private zumba studio. Sleep when I'm dead I guess...uggg.

I never DID see a spiral-bound book last very long before. food stains, torn pages, phone numbers and song numbers written on them...

Binders are cheap nowadays. If you go to costco then (4) 2 inch binders with re-enforced ring locks costs only $10 for all four.

250 sheet protectors are $8.50.

completed books are very lightweight in my case. 7000 songs both artist/title books.

updates are super easy- just add t othe front.

pages don't tear, replace protectors or wipe clean if they get dirty...

ZUMBA ROCKS!...good for you Karen. I love the workout! -john

John:

I've waited till now to respond simply because I haven't had much time.
As you know, Karen, I recently went to spiral bound. I think it was some time before Christmas, maybe September(?).
I have yet to have any real damage done to them. I think twice now I had some drinks spilled on ONE to the point where I had to pull that book for the night to let it dry out, but it was only one book per night.The only reason they needed to be pulled was because when the paper next to the spine gets wet, even a little, you risk having the pages tear out too easily. But like I said, it's only one book on two different nights on two different occasions.
The key is to have them laser printed or photocopied, NOT printed with an inkjet printer. Laser or photocopy printing will not run when wet, but inkjet will.
What I did was have the front and back covers laminated in as heavy a laminate as possible. Although it was little more expensive, I believe it will pay off in the long run. It really goes a long way to protecting the contents, even from spilled drinks. Remember, the covers can be reused again and again when you reprint the books, so the initial expense is worth it, because each subsequent printing and binding will cost much less.
It really has paid off for me. Even with my younger rowdy crowd, as they tend to respect the books and the regulars police it as well, since they know how hard I worked on them.
It's really the best thing I ever did.
So far, ZERO regrets and tons of benefits.
They look great, weigh far less, and are much less labour intensive than the old binder/page protector way!
Oh, and they don't stink like the binders did, Probably because the spilled drinks aren't held inside the page protectors to ripen develop that nasty odor!

I've found the Avery page protectors for $4.99 for 250 at Wal Mart, haven't bought any in a year as I buy all they have when I see that price. That's about 5 books worth for me currently. I haven't found binders that cheap, just bought one a couple days ago, my first 2" book, I think it was about $6 or $7 at Wal Mart.

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KingBing Entertainment C'mon Up! I have a song for you!!! [font=MS Sans Serif][/font]

Thanks for the input Diafel - I am going to go ahead and do some with spiral binding...Funny, you mention the 'stink' with the binders - BIG turn off, and I have had to replace sections of sleeved pages before because of that. Thanks for taking the time to respond. I have a feeling our crowds are similar. Crossing my fingers anyway.

I picked up a very expensive Samsung laser printer ($680) off CL for $60 -- came with two brand new boxed toner packs as well as the one in it - so copying is a minor expense this round. Will see how it goes.

All you guys that don't like the spiral bound book because of the fact that you can't add new songs should check out the Fellowes COMB Binder. Much like spirals, but you CAN open them up and add updates, replace sheets, etc.

I do the comb binding, as we have a binder at my day job. (And a big printer/copier )

How long they last really varies. I can go months with no problems and then lose two in one night. Totally random.

It's going to happen overnight. Mobile devices will proliferate. People will no longer ask for books, they'll ask for a URL.

Will look into the comb binding as well then - I will be using 93 pages (both sides) for the new trimmed down book. Size shouldn't be much of an issue.

$150 Android tablets?

Yes, there are $150 Android tablets. The no-name ones from Ebay. The trusted brand ones are still at least $200. I wouldn't buy the Ebay ones. Had one, and it was crap. I'm now looking at the Velocity Micro Cruz tab, for about $220. They all come from China, but you still kind of do get what you pay for when it comes to tablet PCs.

Give it some time, and you'll be able to get a decent one for $150.

this is funny to me we are talking about how to do books at the cheapest level we can do them for and still get a decent product and some are talking about supplying their patrons with Android tablets!

Sorry I just can't help it!

Cost of 20 books 7,000+ songs around 130 pages usaing an HP laser printer with card stock covers stapled spines the cost is less than $6 per book.

Ummm... I think only one of us on this thread was suggesting tablet PCs for customers. It wasn't me. I was only pointing out what was available. I still use books, and will for the foreseeable future. Some of my singers I barely trust with a pencil and paper .

I did pick up a "Sylvania" net booklet at K-Mart for $99 but I now think it may be too small for people to read easily. Going to drag out an old Dell lappy for those who just want to hurry and fill out slips and get on with singing and drinking and cavorting.

What is this "book" thing of which you speak?
(with a kiosk, I haven't used a book in years)

Actually, when I did use books, I had the front and back cover "hard laminated" and then used screw posts to lock all the pages together. This way, I could fix books if necessary, singers couldn't take them apart and they would not stay open on a table.

They would "auto close" and this kept the laminated covers protecting the (unprotected) sheets. Never had one destroyed and they laid flat.

That kind of a book sounds like a great idea. I wonder if the catalog couldn't be put on some kind of file that a cell phone could access, or on a chip that could be read by a cell phone. I'd still rather have a binder, but I bet a lot of people would be willing to scroll through a song list on their phones.

Drizzle, I will resist this idea - people come to socialize. I can post my book anywhere for people to view it. I can send it to them via e-mail if they want, but really, the thought of people sitting tapping away on their phones during my show makes me want to turn everything off and go home....just me... Just finished watching Frontline "Digital Nation"

Yet they will sit at the same table and text each other back and forth

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