P 

P And L (Profit And Loss) Statement

 the balance sheet on a title, measuring costs including author advance, production, and publicity against sales and subsidiary earnings.

Packager

 a broker who puts together a book idea with the elements (writer, illustrator, experts, etc.) needed to bring the concept to fruition.

Pagination

 The sequence of the numbered pages in a book.

Pamphlet

 A small work that is less than book-length, has paper wraps, and typically has a staple binding. Also known as brochure.

Pannelled

 Ruled lines forming a square border or frame on a binding, which is done in gilt or blind. Also known as compartments.

Paper Boards

 A binding made of stiff cardboard that is covered in paper.

Paper Wraps

 Paper covers of a book. The term is sometimes used interchangeably with paperback.

Paperback

 A book with a paper cover. Sir Allen Lane, founder of Penguin books, was credited with inventing the modern paperback when he published Ariel by Andre Maurois with a paper cover in 1936. Also known as wrappers.

Parchment

 A stiff material made of sheepskin or goatskin that is used for bindings and for legal documents and manuscripts. Material that is made of paper but looks and feels similar to the skin material can also be called parchment.

Parts

 Novels that are published in separate installments, typically in a magazine or journal. Works of many popular writers of the 19th century, such as Charles Dickens, were published in parts. Also known as part issues.

Pastedown

 The half of the endpaper that is pasted to the inside cover of a book.

Perfect Bound

 A binding method that utilizes a plastic glue to bind the loose leaves to the solid text block of a book. It is used for paperback books.

Perfect Bound

 A binding method that uses plastic glue to bind the loose leaves to book cover.

Photogravure

 A photographic image produced from an engraving plate, which gives it an art quality of a lithograph. The process was developed in the 1850s but is rarely used today because of the high cost.

Pictorial Cloth

 A cloth book with a multi-colored picture printed on the cover.

Pictorial Paper Cover

 An Illustration printed on a paperback cover. This decorative practice began in the early 1850s, with the publication of Letters Left at the Pastry-Cook's by J.S. Mayhew, and was the precursor of the next trend in publishing—yellowbacks. The sensational pictorial paper cover novels of the later 19th and 20th centuries are famous for their lurid, colorful covers. Also known as illustrated wraps.

Pigskin

 A durable leather binding, usually decorated in blind.

Pirated Edition

 An unauthorized edition that is usually sold abroad without payment to the author. Also known as pirate edition.

Plate

 A full-page book illustration that is separate from the text pages. Technically, illustrations that are printed on text pages are called cuts. However, the term "plate" is often used to describe both types of book illustrations.

Points

 Facts and characteristics of the printing and binding of a book that may help indicate the priority of issue.

Poor

 See condition guide.

Portfolio

 A portable case used to protect loose papers, plates, pamphlets, and the like. It usually consists of two boards with a wide cloth or paper joint forming the "spine." Can also refer to an artist's body of work.

Preface

 The introductory portion of the book that usually explains why the book was written, what it is about or how to use it.

Preliminary Pages (Prelims)

 The first pages of the book that appear before the text begins.

Prepress

 The book designer's or printer's preparation of the manuscript for production.

Prequel

 a book in a series set at a time prior to the existing titles.

Presentation Copy

 A book with an inscription which shows that it was a gift from the author or publisher. See also inscribed copy.

Press Kit

 Provides reporters, reviewers, bookstore managers and others information on the book. It includes a press release, author biography, book cover, testimonials, etc.

Press Release

 An announcement issued to the news media and other targeted publications.

Price Clipped

 The inside front corner of dust jacket has the price cut off.

Print Run

 number of copies produced.

Printer's Blanks

 See blanks.

Printer's Errors

 Mistakes made during the printing process, such as ink blots or smudges on pages. Also corrections or changes made because of some error on the part of the printer. The publisher should be compensated for printer's errors.

Printing

 The total number of copies of a book, or another type of publication, printed at one time. For example, an edition of a book can have a first printing of 5,000 copies and a second printing of 2,000. See also edition.

Pristine Condition

 A book in its original condition, unchanged in any way.

Private Press

 A small establishment that is not associated with a large publishing house. Private presses decide which works they will print, frequently do their own press work, and print editions in limited numbers of copies.

Privately Printed

 A work printed at the expense of the author or some other private individual or group.

Proofreader

 Checks the manuscript to make certain that the copy is correct and verified before final printing.

Proofs

 Traditionally, a printed trial-run of the work, bound or unbound, which is used for proofreading and to determine if changes need to be made in the text. The typical publishing process is proof, advance reading copy, and publication. However, bound proofs are also used for pre-publication publicity and are often sent out in place of advance reading copies to booksellers and reviewers. Also known as galley, galley proof, page proof, and uncorrected proof. 

Provenance

 The history of the previous owners of a book. Bookplates, notes and other writings in the book, and inserted matter, may determine provenance.

Pub Date

 the scheduled release date for the book. Generally a title will hit the stores two weeks to a month in advance of the date listed in the copyright.

Publication Date

 The date set, usually after actual printing of the book, that is announced to let the target audience know when the book will be available.

Publicist

 Someone who customizes promotional materials for a given book; may also assist in arranging public appearances and interviews.

Publicity

 A marketing technique using free advertising outlets such as press releases.

Publisher

 The person or company responsible for the entire process of producing books. This includes overseeing the writing, editing, design, production, printing and marketing of the book.