Category: About AllYearbooks

Why choose AllYearbooks?

So many reasons to choose AllYearbooks

Quite simply, we’re probably the best yearbook company in every way.

1. Market leading low pricesWhen Jake first started creating yearbooks other companies were charging ridiculously high prices for them. By building a website that did the bulk of the workload for him, Jake was able to take less time per book and hence charge less to you. And as the website develops, we’re able to pass on more and more cost/time savings all the time.
 2. Professional, high-quality books
We cut costs by having a great web-based system, not by providing poor quality books. We’ve spent a lot of time choosing just the right paper and binding options to suit most budgets without sacrificing quality. If you find a company offering cheaper books than us then be aware that they may well have compromised on quality.
3. Fast printing and delivery
You’ll find yearbook companies quoting several months for delivery of their books. This is often because they produce the books in old-fashioned and time-consuming ways. Our books take between 10-17 working days to print and deliver depending on which book style you go for so you can get your hands on the finished product in super-fast time!
4. Advanced online system
This is key to almost all other reasons to go with us. Jake has spent absolutely ages developing a web-based system that enables both you and AllYearbooks to do nearly everything online. It’s revolutionized the way yearbooks can be created, bringing many, many benefits with it. Only a few such systems exist and Jake prides himself on having created one of the best and most appropriate systems for making yearbooks. Our system works very differently to the few created by other yearbook companies so don’t be fooled by poor imitations.
5. Collaborative creation process
Everyone does their bit for the yearbook… online. No fussing around with bits of paper, scanning photos, copying and pasting chunks of text. The yearbook is for the whole year and the whole year can get involved. This is a top reason as to why our system is better than those offered by many of our competitors.

If your whole group makes full use of our online system then all the hard and timeconsuming parts of making your yearbook are a breeze. Rather than a small handful of editors doing absolutely everything, the ‘work’ (which it no longer feels like as it’s so easy) is done in little bits by everyone.

7. Fun and easy to use
Not only is your yearbook a fun keepsake for years to come, but the actual creation process is fun as well – for everyone, not just the editors. It’s also very easy to use and a bit like Facebook, Bebo or MySpace in many ways.

8. Customizable yearboooks
We’re not here to put our own designers’ stamp on your yearbook. Simple, stylish profile pages mean it’s your words and your photos that stand out. Why pick your yearbook’s theme from just a handful when you want something a bit different? You can always design and make your own custom page using common programs such as Word, Publisher, PowerPoint, Photoshop or OpenOffice… it’s up to you.

9. Wide choice of styles and options
Some of our competitors offer one type of book only – for example leather-effect hardback, the most expensive option. We offer a full range of binding styles suited to all budgets.

10. Service with a smile
With us, you won’t be working with one adviser who might not be in the office when you call – you’ll be working with all of us. We’re a small team and whoever picks up the phone or checks the email first will be able to help you. We all try to know about you and your books as best we can. We often manage to reply to your emails within minutes or even seconds and really do take a lot of pride and satisfaction in the work we’re doing for you.

You can find out more about our school and university services, learn about our prices, try an online demo or contact us.

Fast-track your yearbooks

In a rush to produce your yearbooks?!

Once the design phase is complete your books will take up to 4 weeks for us to print and deliver. Please contact us for tips and tricks on making this design phase run as smoothly and quickly as possible.

Things that can help speed up the process are:

  • Getting a member of staff on board early to help organise the book and proof read it at the end (we can’t send your books to print until they have done this!)
  • Making sure payments are processed quickly by your Finance contact/department
  • Making sure that members are logging in and filling out their profiles/uploading photos
  • Making sure that we know when and where your delivery and handout will take place – we’re happy to keep an eye on things from this side for you too 🙂
  • Submitting artwork to us as early as possible so you have time to check it

Don’t forget we’re here if you need any advice!

If you’re not sure about how to get things started, or are finding it hard to get people online then get in touch – we want you to enjoy making your books, so ask us to help! :p

Web-app developer: code task

Below are details of how to apply for this web-dev job.

In a system, files often need to be fetched or processed asynchronously. Given a prepare_file function, which takes a path and a callback, write a process_files function which takes an array of paths, applies prepare_file to each element, and returns the array of results to a provided callback. The result array should be in the same order as the input array.

Below is a function stub for prepare_file, which simulates an asynchronous task for processing the provided path, and returning the result. (The actual prepare_file function implementation should be considered a black box when implementing process_files.)

      function prepare_file(path, callback) {
       setTimeout(function () {
         callback(path + "_found");
       }, 1000*Math.random());
      };

Example use of prepare_file:

      prepare_file('a', function (path) {
       // path should equal 'a_found'
      });

Example use of process_files:

      process_files(['a', 'b', 'c'], function (paths) {
       // paths should equal ['a_found', 'b_found', 'c_found']
      });

Answers may be in JavaScript or CoffeeScript and should assume the presence of a global prepare_file function (you can use the prepare_file stub above for testing your solution). You shouldn’t use any other libraries.

What next?

Send your answer to the task by email to jobs at allyearbooks.co.uk along with a cover letter, CV and/or anything that might impress us.
You can also call Jake on 07791 068 122 to discuss your application.

Web-app developer job, Cambridge

Want to be part of a small, friendly team located in the centre of Cambridge (UK)? We employ exceptional people to help us create the very best yearbook product and service for our customers. We lead the market with our technical innovations and dedication to a high standard of quality.

We’re located on Mill Road in central Cambridge, a ten minute walk from the station and 15 minutes from the town centre.

Web-app developer: permanent, full-time, £COMPETITIVE

We’re looking to grow our small development team who are working on an exciting single-page HTML5 web-app which uses JavaScript on both the client and server.

You’ll be working primarily in CoffeeScript, using Node.js on the server and with the help of Backbone.js and jQuery for the desktop-client interface. You’ll be using PostgreSQL and Redis datastores and connecting our client(s) with a RESTful API. You’ll also be using the HTML5 canvas API.

Ideally you also some experience with general server setup and operation (DevOps) as well as HTML/CSS/jQuery interface construction. Node.js C++ extension development would also be useful.

Sound like you? To apply, we have a short task for you to complete.

Yearbook options

Yearbook cover options

We have four main options for your yearbooks this year.

Our standard laminated hardback is the default option for your book.  The covers are high quality, full colour front and rear, and can be used for books from 40-300 pages.

We also have a couple of premium upgrades available for you to choose from for that extra special finish. Our premium laminated hardback includes front cover engraving (as well as other great features) and is the same as our information pack -please get in touch with your address if you’d like a free copy and live in the UK!  Alternatively you can choose our premium leatherette hardback which is exactly the same but using a leather type material instead of the glossy laminate.

The fourth and final option, and new for this year, is our stitch-folded paperback  🙂 Available as a 40 page B5 book, this is a great option for those of you working to a tight budget.

Low workload yearbook production

Spread the workload for your yearbook by producing it online with us. Everyone logs in and does their own bit, saving teachers and editors hours and hours of work and hassle .

Our new system is far more interactive than last years meaning editors and members alike can see the book change as everyone uploads text/images – no more waiting for the preview to update!

In the past and with most of our competitors, the editors of a yearbook (and often the teachers too) have an awful lot of work to do. With us, their work is cut to an absolute minimum as our web-based yearbook system encourages everyone to log in and do their bit.

Even the proofreading can be done online – we will ask you to nominate a teacher to log in and help with this, it’s easier (and less stressful for them!) if you can choose a teacher early, so they can be involved with the project throughout.  It’ll help save you a last minute panic if the school asks for changes too!

No more collecting in photos and bits of paper, copying and pasting lots of text, taking photos, scanning documents and much more. Instead, just create your yearbook online and set it up in minutes, then distribute an access password/code to everyone in the year and once they’ve logged in, they upload all their text, photos and other stuff straight to the website.

Secondary school yearbooks

Secondary school yearbooks

We create high quality school and college yearbooks at unbeatable prices. Thanks to our great online system, we can cater for even the smallest year groups.

It’s the end of an era! This must be why we do more school yearbooks than any other. Usually organised by students, this is a great chance for everyone in the year to express themselves in their own words. Just don’t forget to get a member of staff to make sure the students’ words are acceptable! Our online system means that everyone can have their say. It’s a great way to gather up all those photographs of the end of year prom, school trips, D of E or just old photos to embarrass everyone!

 

Yearbooks enable students to remember their time at the school or college, and the people they shared it with. Unfortunately though, often the process of producing the yearbook is so frustrating and time consuming that students damage their own exam results to get it published in time and on budget. Enter AllYearbooks – by automating most of the yearbook production process using our unique and user friendly online system, neither the student nor teacher in charge of a yearbook will have sleepless nights any more! The whole process is quick and easy – in fact, a yearbook can go from complete scratch to book delivery in just three weeks.

Large year groups also see great benefits – particularly for the editor who has to do far less legwork. And again, our prices are very competitive.

If you’d like to know more, please have a look at our prices, view an online demo or contact us for more information.

Yearbooks for societies, clubs and other groups

With low prices and orders as small as 20 copies, almost any group of people can create a yearbook to remember their time together. They’re fun and easy to create online.

Yearbooks are mainly the province of education, but this is changing fast – we’re getting more and more non-school customers every year.

We’ve made yearbooks for sports teams, gap year groups, departments within of a company, churches, expedition teams and groups of friends.

 

Yearbooks are a great way to get to members in your group, build camaraderie in the office or commemorate a special occasion.

Because we have a very automated system, we can create inexpensive year books for very small groups not catered for by many of our competitors.

Create your books online using one of the most advanced yearbook systems available – every member can log in to do their own bit in a collaborative environment.

Let us design a stunning full colour cover for your yearbooks to really impress everyone in your group.

We also make gorgeous photo collages for your year books. Your members simply upload photos from their computer and then you let us know how the collages should look.

If you’d like to know more, please have a look at our prices, view an online demo or contact us for more information.

Primary school yearbooks

Primary school yearbooks

Yearbooks for primary schools are a relatively new idea but growing in popularity. They’re a great way to remember the formative years – for the children, the parents and the teachers.

Primary school yearbooks are a fairly new idea but they can work brilliantly, bringing lots of joy to teachers, parents… and of course the pupils!

These books are almost always organized by a member of the PTA (a parent or a teacher) and sometimes involve some sort of fund-raising to help keep the price of the books down.

You can either set it up so that every pupil (and teachers and parents too, if you want) can log in to the website and add their own photos and text, or have everything channeled through an adult.

Sometimes primary school yearbooks are for the whole school, but it’s more common to have them for just the leaving year instead, perhaps with a few pages for lower years.

Do try to engage the children as much as possible with designing pages (including the cover), taking photos and writing about each other.

If you’d like to know more, please have a look at our prices, view an online demo or contact us for more information.

Professional, high-quality yearbooks

We take pride in producing truly high-quality yearbooks. Our yearbooks are printed on an industry-standard digital printing press, and finished to an exceptionally high standard.

Some schools choose to have their yearbooks printed on their own printers and photocopiers, resulting in poor quality black and white pages. Their books are then bound with cheap glue or with plastic spirals. Not only is the end result unimpressive, but when the cost to the school of buying the ink, paper etc is taken into account, its not actually that much cheaper – if at all – either.

Local printers are also not the best option, as binding the yearbooks – particularly hardbacks – is offered by only a small selection of providers.
Vivid full-colour pages – not boring black and white
All pages in our yearbooks are full-colour, and we no longer offer a blank and white option. With colour printing prices falling, there’s little reason to go for a black and white yearbook.

Guaranteed quality
If there is a problem with any of the yearbooks we deliver to you, we’ll replace it free of charge as quickly as possible.