When planning your yearbook, you may come across the term endsheets and wonder what they are and whether you can design them. Endsheets are the pages at the very front and back of your book that attach the inside pages to the cover. They play an important structural role, and in many cases, they also offer a unique design opportunity.

In this article, we will explain what endsheets are, how they function in your book, and how many endsheet pages you are able to design within your project.

What is an Endsheet?

An endsheet is the sturdy sheet of paper at the very front and very back of a hardcover book that connects the inside pages to the cover. It is folded in half, with one side glued to the inside of the cover and the other side serving as the first or last printed page of the book.

In a yearbook, endsheets:

• Provide structural support by securing the book block to the cover
• Protect the first and last interior pages
• Create a clean transition from the cover to the content
• Offer an additional space for design, messaging, or school branding

Because endsheets are attached to the cover, they are different from regular interior pages. 

In short, endsheets are both functional and creative, helping hold your book together while also setting the tone from the moment it is opened.

Can I add a design to the Endsheets?

Yes, we offer printed endsheet upgrades for Hardcover books. Please reach out to your sales rep or account manager if you are interested. 

*Without the upgrade and without a placed design, endsheets will be white

I have the Upgrade, How do I Design Them?

Step 1) Navigate to your yearbook Ladder by going to the Manage Tab and selecting Manage ladder in the drop down

Step 2) Once on the ladder, the endsheets will show up below the cover. You can click the blue Edit Design button to open the editor

Step 3) You can design your endsheet like any other spread in the book. Please keep in mind the middle of the endsheet will go into the binding of the book so you need to be careful placing any full spread images or text that you do not want to get lost in the gutter.

Read the article here on how to best pose group photos for full spread pages