top-bound book

[Carol J. Elkins]

Framers,

I'm ready to print a wire-bound pocket-sized booklet that will be 
top-bound (coil binding along the top of the book) so as to fit 
nicely in one's pocket. In all my 18 years of doing this, this is the 
first time I've run across having to publish a top-bound book, so I 
have no experience to guide me. Thus I'm emailing you.

I've printed the Framemaker file to PDF and had the printer make a 
demo copy for me. When the booklet is held open to a two-page spread, 
the top page is upside down. In order to view it, one has to turn the 
booklet over or upside-down. I have some questions:

1. Is this the customary way to print a top-bound book? Or should 
both pages be visibly oriented the same direction? (That would put 
the page number of the top (even-numbered) pages on the bound edge.)

2. If not, what is the easiest way to get the even-numbered pages 
turned upside down? 1) By changing the Framemaker template; 2) By 
doing something in Acrobat; or 3) by telling the printer to do 
something on his end.

3. Is there a word that describes this kind of layout? I work with 
imposition in booklet printing a lot but it doesn't seem to apply to 
top-bound books.

I've asked my client to do a bit of usability testing to determine if 
it will make a difference to his users. Will they want to view two 
pages at once? Will they be inconvenienced by having to flip the book 
over every time they advance to the next page? This is a field test 
manual and they will definitely progress through the book one page at 
a time. While he's checking that out, I thought I'd check with you for input.

Carol