Make a Paper Address Booklet from iPhone/iPad App

A new app has just been released that can format your iPhone or iPad contacts list into an address booklet to print out and bind. Even though I have a contacts list in my phone and on my computer I still like having instant access to a book I can flip through and that doesn't need recharging. The beauty of the app is that I can update the info and print it out again in a few minutes. I am having fun with the app, never mind that it was designed by someone I know well: my in-house tech support, otherwise known as my spouse.

You have a choice of three styles: a double-sided booklet, which is a pamphlet-style codex; a single-sided booklet, which is an accordion; and a stack of cards that you can shuffle and assemble with a mini binder clip or use PVA and perfect-bind it. Additionally, any of these can be made as the larger pocket-sized, which is about the size of half a small postcard; or the smaller, wallet-sized, which is approximately the size of a credit card.

The app is straightforward, streamlined, and easy to use, and I did not get any coaching from the in-house coach on this, either. You read some basic instructions, check boxes to indicate which contacts to include and decide if you want phone numbers, addresses, emails, birthdays, and/or notes printed out. You could make a little library: a birthday book, phone book, address book, or gossip book.

Once you choose what you want in the booklet, you choose the size and style and a window lets you send an email to yourself that contains a zipped file of the formatted pages plus the instructions. It works best if you have a laserwriter that prints on both sides.

Bold lines indicate where to cut, dotted lines where to fold. I used a lightweight Fiskars 12 Inch Classic Rotary Paper Trimmer to cut the whole stack on the bold lines. The cutter has a replaceable rolling blade and can cut sharply through 5-10 pages of 20 lb. copy paper. The pages are numbered for quick assembly. (If you teach workshops, this is lightweight enough to carry with you!)

What is called the cover page for the booklet is simply a blank first page, so I immediately looked around for a more protective cover. By folding a picture postcard in half I had an instant glossy cover for the pocket-sized booklet. Old membership cards are perfect to glue front and back of the wallet-sized accordion. I printed the cards single-sided on cardstock (check your printer for specific instructions on handling thicker paper), glued the tail (cards are printed portrait), and added a decorative spine strip to make a perfect-bound book (page --- MHB). I printed the cards double-sided on thin paper and fastened with a binder clip. 

All would look nice if you used a slightly heavier 24 lb. paper, possibly 32 lb., cotton resumé paper or business stationery, or various other papers. Some American examples are: Southworth Resume Paper, Cotton Fiber, 24 lb; Neenah Royal Cotton Fine Business Stationery; Southworth Colors + Textures Fine Parchment Paper, 24#. Southworth brand tends to have watermarks, which you may or may not like.

Although the instructions show tape and staples, I sewed a three-hole pamphlet (page 95 in MHB and at this post), and used permanent glue stick on the accordion tabs for the wallet-sized and for the pocket-sized booklets. All the accordions need the cover page since they start with a mountain fold. Really, for 99 cents, this is too fun. I'd be happy making these all day. And I'm not just saying that.

The book doesn't stop there! You can make an alphabet book or dictionary by creating a new contact (or more) for each letter. I made A-Act to Z-Zephyr by checking the "company" box and putting my word as the company. Then, in the notes section I typed my text, leaving all other fields blank. When I went back to the app I unchecked all boxes except my words, and then I chose my format, sent my email, printed out the pages, and sewed an instant booklet. The text was made by gleaning words from each definition in order and creating a found poem. I was so pleased with the project that I letterpress printed a cover from wood type to top it off. In celebration, I'll send a copy of  A-Act to Z-Zephyr to the first three people who request one in the comment section (and send your paper mail address to the email shown in the right column).

Oh, and the app is called Address Booklet or Cards (Booklet) and may be found here.
The handy notetaking app Nota Plex, also from our household, is also available.