Confused by buzzwords about scrapbooks?  Here is an explanation of some types of scrapbooks out there.

Post Bound:  These scrapbooks are usually hardcover with good construction, with paper pages or plastic sleeves to slide your completed layouts into.  Opening the cover and inspecting the spine area will reveal the posts, usually hidden under the architecture of the book.  The posts are actually screws and can be removed to add or remove or rearrange the pages, and if you want to add many pages, you can also add post extenders so your book will still lay flat when it's full.

Accordion book:  These books generally have a hard cover and open out into a long book that is suitable for spreading out standing on a mantle.  Many books are decorated on only the front side but some are also decorated on the back side, giving you more places for photos without adding to the general size of the book. 

Paper Bag book:  These books are very popular and lend themselves nicely to the shabby chic look.  Made with various sizes of paper bags, from lunch sacks to shopping bags, to wine bottle bags and everything inbetween.  They usually open like a regular book, have a soft cover and pockets with pull out tags or "loose" pages.  Paper bag books can be bound with anything from ribbon and sewing to binder rings.

Ring Bound:  Ring bound books can have hard or soft covers, be any size and contain any number of pages.  The rings allow you to dismantle the book if needed.  Look for books with holes re-enforced with eyelets or double thickness cardstock as the rings can place stress on the pages.