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On-demand printing comes to the library
(Sep 2008) You can add "I'll have that book to go!" to the list of expressions uttered by those in a hurry, now that the University Library has installed a state-of-the-art book-printing machine.
The University Library, standing at the frontier of 21st-century publishing, now offers printed and bound reprints of out-of-copyright books from its digitized collection of nearly two million books. In addition, thousands of books from the Open Content Alliance and other digital sources can be published on The Espresso Book Machine. The cost is about $10 per book and the service is available to everyone.
U-M is the first university library to install The Espresso Book Machine, from On Demand Books of New York. The machine produces perfect-bound -- meaning pages glued to the spine -- high-quality paperback books on demand. A Time magazine "Best Invention of 2007," the Espresso Book Machine has been called "the ATM of books." The machine was purchased with donations to U-M libraries.
After October 1, the Espresso Book Machine, housed in the Shapiro Library lobby, will operate most mornings during the week, with a selection of titles available for sale.
"This is a significant moment in the history of book publishing and distribution," said Paul Courant, dean of the University of Michigan Library and professor of economics, public policy, and information. "As a library, we're stepping beyond the limits of physical space. Now, we can produce affordable printed copies of rare and hard to find books. It's a great step toward the democratization of information, getting information to readers when and where they need it."
The printing process begins with a reader selecting a digitized book from U-M's pre-1923 collection or from another online source, such as the Open Content Alliance. Most books printed prior to the early 1920s can be reprinted without seeking the permission from whoever holds the copyright. Then, the file is downloaded to the Espresso Book Machine, where it is formatted, printed, and perfect bound with a four-color cover.
A finished printed book takes five to seven minutes, depending on the number of pages.
Since 1996, U-M Libraries have digitized nearly two million books. The university was the first participant in the Google Book Search program, which digitizes books in libraries throughout the world.
In the next several years, On Demand Books expects to install Espresso Book Machines in libraries and bookshops around the world. All the machines will be connected by a network, allowing libraries to share and reprint volumes from their collections.
"This print technology will allow the library to maximum advantage of digital technology," said Courant. "Digital and print versions work in tandem, and soon researchers anywhere in the world will be able to browse U-M's digitized holdings, select a book from our out of copyright collections, and have the book printed within minutes."
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Maria Bonn (MILS '96), director of the Scholarly Publishing Office at University Library, attends to a project on the Espresso Book Machine at the Shapiro Library.
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