I’ve been asked about the differences between scrapbook albums and scrapbook folios. To many, albums and folios are interchangeable phrases to describe scrapbooks, with no distinction. But to me, there are definitely differences and are two distinct types of scrapbooks. Let me explain.
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An album is like a book. Pages and/or “signatures” are fixed in some way to the spine of the album, and you turn the pages as you would when reading a book. The pages can be made of paper, clear plastic sleeves, fabric, wood, etc. They are large or small, even mini, and tiny. Pages of handmade scrapbook albums can have pockets, flip-ups, and other mechanisms to make them interactive and fun. Scrapbook albums are what most people think of when they think of a scrapbook.
Scrapbook Folios
Scrapbook folios look like books but typically are much thinner. Instead of pages affixed to the spine, there are pockets, flip-ups, acetate window, and other mechanisms that are fixed to the inside of the front
and back covers of the folio. So, there are no “pages” to turn in a folio. Opening the fun interactive elements will expand the folio to display your photographs in interesting ways. I think of folios as event scrapbooks. So, for example, I may have a series of folios, each displaying a special family trip, referred to as Travel Folios. It may be a folio that tells the story of a baby shower with pictures and memorabilia from the event.
Both scrapbook albums and scrapbook folios serve a purpose in the scrapbooking community. But there are differences. So next time you think of purchasing a scrapbook, consider whether a folio or album will be best for suited for displaying your photographic story.