A couÂple of years ago I met Jason Epstein in passÂing and he excitÂedÂly described his new project: a machine to print On Demand Books. The plan is finalÂly bearÂing fruit: the EspresÂso Book Machine was demonÂstratÂed at the New York PubÂlic Library on WednesÂday. Three of the machines are out in the wild, and I susÂpect many more will appear if the proÂtoÂtypes live up to the hype.
The idea of books on demand is a litÂtle eerie but emiÂnentÂly effiÂcient. PubÂlishÂers and bookÂsellers waste milÂlions of dolÂlars, tons of fuel and forests of paper shipÂping, returnÂing and trashÂing unsold books every year. And if a machine like this isn’t too expenÂsive to run, it could revÂoÂluÂtionÂize eduÂcaÂtion in less accesÂsiÂble or wealthy parts of the world. The real quesÂtion is whether such a machine might do to bookÂstores what NetÂflix has done to video rental stores. The EspresÂso machine can only print paperÂbacks, so for now I think Barnes and Noble is safe. And even if the shelves are replaced with digÂiÂtal browsÂing disÂplays one day, many cusÂtomers will still want to enjoy their purÂchasÂes with an overÂpriced latÂte and pasÂtry. The social spaces of book-readÂing have yet to be destroyed by Amazon.com or the bloÂgosÂphere, so I think they’ll surÂvive a new kind of espresÂso machine.
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Although we might not be as cool and as instanÂtaÂneous as this machine, BookÂSwim delivÂers our book rental memÂbers their requestÂed books to their home, then send them back in the mail when finÂished. No late fees, unlimÂitÂed rentals per month, and free shipÂping both ways. You can find us at http://www.bookswim.com.
Print-on-demand makes a lot of sense but there’s a far bigÂger opporÂtuÂniÂty in sellÂing this as a serÂvice rather than a comÂmodÂiÂty. It’s simÂiÂlar to home phoÂto printÂing. You can nevÂer realÂly achieve the scale to jusÂtiÂfy the cost of a phoÂto printÂer with ink and paper, but peoÂple are hapÂpy to send off their digÂiÂtal prints and receive hard copies a few days latÂer.
Lulu.com is one of the most ambiÂtious comÂpaÂnies in the print on demand space. FoundÂed by the same guy who foundÂed Red Hat LinÂux, their aim is to proÂvide a techÂnolÂoÂgy platÂform that puts authors and indeÂpenÂdent pubÂlishÂers in conÂtrol of the sale and printÂing of their mateÂrÂiÂal. They have masÂsive room-sized printÂers that can churn out sinÂgle copies of hard backed books in minÂutes.