There is nothing more annoying than being told your book is "out-of-stock" or "it is not stocked in this branch" but have no fear the Espresso Book Machine aims to solve this problem.
What is the espresso book machine?
The espresso book machine is “capable of printing and binding a 300-page paperback from a digital file in seven minutes” (Tavnin, 2007). The machine “prints, binds, and trims—on demand—high quality paperback books with 4-color covers” (Geitgey, 2014). The EBM aims to enable small bookstores to have thousands of book titles all in one machine therefore they never have to tell a consumer they are out of stock.
The EBM will not only massively impact publishers but the publishing industry as a whole. Nelson (2007, p. 4) suggests the idea behind the EBM is to benefit publishers by reducing the warehousing, printing, and shipping costs therefore saving them money. Publishers can use this technology to their advantage by reducing their costs therefore passing the benefit onto the consumer because books could in theory become cheaper. The EBM reduces the risk of not selling enough copies.
Kirch (2012, pg. 10) states that the EBM has increased self-publishing. Michigan’s Schuler Books & Music claim that and that 95% (Kirch, 2012) of the usage of the EBM in their store is for self-publishing.
Arnold (2014) suggests it has opened a new market for libraries to become publishers through promoting self-publishing. Libraries are struggling because of free content online but if they can expand the reasons to go to the library then it could lead to less libraries closing their doors.
It benefits consumers because there are millions more books available (On Demand Books, 2013). This technology allows bookshops to have a wider selection of titles available that don't take up as many shelves therefore may cause bookstores to have smaller stores.
This idea could lead to more competition with Amazon because, in theory with reduced costs publishers are more likely to reduce the costs of their books which leads to bookstores reducing the price.
The EBM has created some issues, for example Nelson (2007 p. 4) claims the EBM reduces browsing. Bookstores rely on consumers browsing shelves and there would be no chances for pricing strategies, for example 3 for 2. It also asks the question of how do we find out about new titles in the market?
Nelson (2007, p.4) thinks the future of books is print-on-demand which is what the EBM aims to do. The Espresso Book Machine could change the bookshop market by bookshops becoming smaller and carrying most of their stock on the EBM and just the best-sellers on their shelves. The question is will bookstores of the future just be lines of Espresso book machines?
Word count: 493
References
Arnold, S (2014) ‘Libraries as publishers: easy to create, hard to find’. Online Searcher; Volume 38; (Issue 6) 1 November 2014
Aubrie, A (2011). Double Feature: The Espresso Book Machine. Available at: http://whosyoureditor.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/double-feature-expresso-book-machine.html (accessed on: 24th November, 2014)
Geitgey, T (2014). Espresso Book Machine. Available at: http://www.lib.umich.edu/espresso-book-machine (accessed: 18th October, 2014)
Kirch, C (2012). ‘Self-Publishing Rules the EBM at Indies’. Publishers Weekly, Vol.259(44) Oct 29, 2012, p.10(1)
Nelson, S (2007) Soul of a New Machine. Publishers Weekly. Vol.254(26) June 25, 2007. p.4
On Demand Books (2013). The Espresso Book Machine. Available at: http://ondemandbooks.com/ebm_overview.php (accessed: 18th October, 2014)
Tivnan, T (2007). Retailers in talks to lease Epstein's in-store printing machine. The Bookseller (issue: 5287). pp3-3. (ONLINE). Available at: http://web.a.ebscohost.com.oxfordbrookes.idm.oclc.org/ehost/detail/detail?vid=2&sid=ace21679-5132-4d47-8cba-41214237ce45%40sessionmgr4003&hid=4207&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=bth&AN=25731945 (accessed: 18th October, 2014)
The espresso book machine is “capable of printing and binding a 300-page paperback from a digital file in seven minutes” (Tavnin, 2007). The machine “prints, binds, and trims—on demand—high quality paperback books with 4-color covers” (Geitgey, 2014). The EBM aims to enable small bookstores to have thousands of book titles all in one machine therefore they never have to tell a consumer they are out of stock.
The EBM will not only massively impact publishers but the publishing industry as a whole. Nelson (2007, p. 4) suggests the idea behind the EBM is to benefit publishers by reducing the warehousing, printing, and shipping costs therefore saving them money. Publishers can use this technology to their advantage by reducing their costs therefore passing the benefit onto the consumer because books could in theory become cheaper. The EBM reduces the risk of not selling enough copies.
Kirch (2012, pg. 10) states that the EBM has increased self-publishing. Michigan’s Schuler Books & Music claim that and that 95% (Kirch, 2012) of the usage of the EBM in their store is for self-publishing.
Arnold (2014) suggests it has opened a new market for libraries to become publishers through promoting self-publishing. Libraries are struggling because of free content online but if they can expand the reasons to go to the library then it could lead to less libraries closing their doors.
It benefits consumers because there are millions more books available (On Demand Books, 2013). This technology allows bookshops to have a wider selection of titles available that don't take up as many shelves therefore may cause bookstores to have smaller stores.
This idea could lead to more competition with Amazon because, in theory with reduced costs publishers are more likely to reduce the costs of their books which leads to bookstores reducing the price.
The EBM has created some issues, for example Nelson (2007 p. 4) claims the EBM reduces browsing. Bookstores rely on consumers browsing shelves and there would be no chances for pricing strategies, for example 3 for 2. It also asks the question of how do we find out about new titles in the market?
Nelson (2007, p.4) thinks the future of books is print-on-demand which is what the EBM aims to do. The Espresso Book Machine could change the bookshop market by bookshops becoming smaller and carrying most of their stock on the EBM and just the best-sellers on their shelves. The question is will bookstores of the future just be lines of Espresso book machines?
Word count: 493
References
Arnold, S (2014) ‘Libraries as publishers: easy to create, hard to find’. Online Searcher; Volume 38; (Issue 6) 1 November 2014
Aubrie, A (2011). Double Feature: The Espresso Book Machine. Available at: http://whosyoureditor.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/double-feature-expresso-book-machine.html (accessed on: 24th November, 2014)
Geitgey, T (2014). Espresso Book Machine. Available at: http://www.lib.umich.edu/espresso-book-machine (accessed: 18th October, 2014)
Kirch, C (2012). ‘Self-Publishing Rules the EBM at Indies’. Publishers Weekly, Vol.259(44) Oct 29, 2012, p.10(1)
Nelson, S (2007) Soul of a New Machine. Publishers Weekly. Vol.254(26) June 25, 2007. p.4
On Demand Books (2013). The Espresso Book Machine. Available at: http://ondemandbooks.com/ebm_overview.php (accessed: 18th October, 2014)
Tivnan, T (2007). Retailers in talks to lease Epstein's in-store printing machine. The Bookseller (issue: 5287). pp3-3. (ONLINE). Available at: http://web.a.ebscohost.com.oxfordbrookes.idm.oclc.org/ehost/detail/detail?vid=2&sid=ace21679-5132-4d47-8cba-41214237ce45%40sessionmgr4003&hid=4207&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=bth&AN=25731945 (accessed: 18th October, 2014)