On Demand Books hopes you will. The New York-based company plans in 2007 to expand production of a device that dispenses just about any book you can imagine by punching a few buttons.
And we're not talking about a mere vending machine. ODB's device, tentatively called the Espresso, is a $50,000 hunk of innovation that makes the books from scratch — 15 to 20 per hour — and in several languages.
The process of printing the pages, cutting and shaping the cover, and gluing the pages to the binding takes about seven minutes, and can be done two books at a time. Additional book features include laminated covers, high-quality color pictures and a variety of paper for the pages.
Espresso even binds books on the right-hand side, for languages that are read from right to left.
Currently, an Espresso-made tome cannot exceed 550 pages, although somewhat longer works can be accommodated by reducing the type size. And the choice of titles is limited to the 2.5 million or so English-language works not currently protected by a copyright, although ODB is working to expand the reading list.
Prices for whatever comes out of Espresso's dispenser will vary due to a number of factors, book length being just one of them, but the estimated production cost is about a penny per page.
An Espresso now sits in the World Bank Info Shop in Washington, D.C., and the Library of Alexandria in Egypt. Another is due to arrive at the New York Public Library in February. ODB says it will install another 25 or so of the devices through 2007, though it hasn't announced the locations.
But you can bet that when the Espresso arrives, it will draw a crowd. The device is bound to redefine the term "hot off the press."
I had the same idea about 7 years ago when I was working at the late, lamented Cleveland Park Bookshop. In a digital age it seemed strange there should be books that were "out of print." I'll admit I never envisioned an ATM with all of the bells and whistles the "Espresso" has. (Which strikes me as risky. It's as if the early car makers tried to build a Lambourghini before the Model-T.) But the basic concept is the same.
Even though this will be a revolution for the consumer of books, I think it will be the death of the dedicated book store. If all you need to sell millions of titles is install a machine, it makes little sense to devote a bunch of shelf space to display titles. (In my experience there were very few true "browse and buy" book buyers anyway. People generally came to the store knowing what they wanted to buy.) In effect any store, any coffeshop, any barbershop or hair salon, that wanted to sell books (and magazines) could do so without doing more than stuffing this ATM in a corner. Bookstore will have to find more creative ways to fill up their space with non-digitally re-creatable product.
I'll agree with anyone who claims that something will be lost in the transition, but I don't see anyway to avoid it. The really good bookstores will find a way to translate themselves into some sort of uber-cafe, although you will probably end up with a wait-staff that knows latte better than literature.
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