There is no shortage of printing firms in North America. In fact, you can probably find one in any neighborhood–from a large firm to the corner Kinkos. They can all do books.
Some specialize in digital printing (pages are sheet fed, which is good for small runs) or offset printing (more complicated setup and pages are printed in signatures: several pages on one sheet, front and back, which is then folded, trimmed, and set into the binding).
But unless a print firm runs books 24/7, you will find the quote prices are set from another planet. Why? Book printers print books 24/7. They do not have to reconfigure their presses for business cards, brochures, letterhead, or any other types of specialty advertising. The difference in quote can be in double digits–as in thousands.
Don’t always look for the local printer, as there are not as many bonafide book printers as you might think. And getting books shipped from either side of the border is less than you think. The North American Free Trade Agreement includes book printing. So you don’t have to pay duty–just tax, which you’d have to pay anyway.
Save your money, find a bonafide book printer. In Canada, I use Houghton Boston in Saskatoon (offset) and BlitzPrint in Calgary (digital). I also use United Graphics (Mattoon, Illinois). They are in no means the only book printers, but they have treated me well.
