News about University of Michigan’s new Espresso Book Machine caught my eye today. Their new print on demand machine reprints, binds and dispenses rare and out-of-copyright books like an ATM dispenses cash. Users with access to the Michigan’s Shapiro Library can choose from over 2 million books from their pre-1923 digitized collection, or other collections from the Open Content Alliance. Each order costs $10, and presto … your book is ready in 5 to 7 minutes!
For a few years now, Brewster Kahle of the Internet Archive has been a strong advocate of marrying this kind of print on demand with mobile technology that can bring books to remote villages in various parts of the world like Uganda or India. Brewster talked about the Internet Archive Bookmobile at Museums and the Web 2007 in Apr 2007 and The Entertainment Gathering in Dec 2007. Books are downloaded via satellite and then printed on demand for distribution to remote villages … I say “Wow !!” Just like how cellphone technology has revolutionized communication in places where physical infrastructure is lacking traditionally, the prospect of providing intellectual access to such areas with very limited or no access is exciting and mind boggling. For more on Brewster’s vision for universal access, see his “Libraries Going Open” document.
