22/9/2009
Cambridge, MA, September 17, 2009—Starting this fall, Harvard Book Store booksellers will not only be able to help you find a book in the store—they’ll be able to make you one as well.
That’s because, on September 29th , the independent Harvard Square bookseller will unveil, on its premises, a new Espresso Book Machine®, enabling the store to produce books locally, and ship them globally. The Espresso Book Machine® is a twenty-first- century printing press that can produce library-quality, perfect bound paperback editions from a virtually limitless inventory of digital titles in multiple languages, including rare and out-of-print public domain titles.
This month, Google and On Demand Books, LLC, the maker of the Espresso Book Machine®, signed an agreement to offer its patrons immediate access to over 2 million public-domain titles in the Google digital files. This unprecedented number of reading options is in addition to the current 1.6 million titles available directly to Harvard Book Store via the book machine’s catalog and the million titles already available through the store.
On September 29th , Harvard Book Store will publicly unveil the new machine in an event featuring owner Jeffrey Mayersohn, On Demand Books founders Jason Epstein and Dane Neller, and the distinguished, award-winning author, E.L. Doctorow.
“My vision is to provide our customers with any book ever written, in any format, and have it either in your hands or at your doorstep—the same day,” said Harvard Book Store’s owner, Jeffrey Mayersohn. “This collaboration between Google, On Demand Books, and Harvard Book Store is a major step toward realizing that vision.”
All in all, Harvard Book Store’s book machine revolutionizes the traditional book- making and -delivery system, and the community bookstore will operate as a fast and affordable distribution point for millions of titles. Local customers will be able to receive books same- or next-day, via the store’s bicycle delivery program. The store also ships books both domestically and overseas.
The paperbacks produced by the book machine are indistinguishable from paperback books produced by major publishing houses. Featuring a full-color cover and black & white interior, a 300-page book can be printed, bound, and trimmed in roughly 4 minutes. The book machine also represents a unique opportunity for authors wanting to see their work in book form.
Harvard Book Store Book Machine
Now, this is exciting! Imagine going to the library, checking out a book, and—if you love it—buying your own copy and having it printed right before your eyes on your return. No more massive overstock!
This post was reblogged from The Awkward Turtle Breeding Ground.
-
peekingowl reblogged this from libraryland and added:
I AM SO OVERJOYED RIGHT NOW.
-
wickercage reblogged this from friendofdorothywilde
-
marcella liked this
-
brenuh reblogged this from libraryland and added:
Somebody install one of these in my bedroom, please.
-
palimpsestghost reblogged this from libraryland
-
mathcat345 liked this
-
myheadandmyhearttoday liked this
-
echycakes liked this
-
libraryland reblogged this from friendofdorothywilde
-
toddversushighschool liked this
-
wordsaremyweakness liked this
-
aasaasa liked this
-
lovelylinguist liked this
-
onlycourtney reblogged this from friendofdorothywilde and added:
Oh. My. Gods. I might die...joy (if I was anywhere near Harvard).
-
friendofdorothywilde posted this