Millions of Titles from U-M Library Now Available On Demand

Here’s a way cool example of how libraries have used technology to bring information to readers where and when they need it.

The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor (my alma mater) has become the first university in the country to install The Espresso Book Machine. The machine – located in the Shapiro Undergraduate Library – allows a user to print one of the University’s over 2 million digitized books, as well as thousands of books from the Open Content Alliance, on demand. Many of these titles are rare or out-of-print.

Since 1996, the University has been digitizing books printed prior to the early 1920s, most recently as part of the Google Book Search program. Most books printed before 1923 are in the public domain. That is, they can be reprinted without seeking permission from the copyright holder.

Here’s how it works. The user selects a digitized book from U-M's collection or from another online source. The file is then downloaded to the machine, where it is formatted, printed and perfect bound with a four-color cover.

A finished printed book takes 5-7 minutes, depending on the number of pages, and costs about $10. The service is available to researchers, students, and the public.

In the next several years, On Demand Books – the maker of the Espresso Book Machine – plans to install machines in libraries and bookshops around the world. All the machines will be connected by a network, allowing users fast, cheap access to tens of millions of titles on demand.

For more information, and to see a video on the project, click here.

Go Blue!