Print on Demand coming to the NYPL

The New York Public Library will be obtaining a print-on-demand press called the Espresso Book Machine, which can create a paperback from a PDF file in about 5 minutes.

The machine, which costs about $100,000, has the potential to change how libraries could provide materials.  Imagine a WorldCat-like opac that lets you choose an item, which is printed while you wait (and 5 minutes spent finding a book is not unusual for a larger library), and is able then to be checked out.

I wonder what percentage of a library’s collection could be held digitally?  This could solve much of the space crunch facing many libraries, in the long term.

from NewsForge

This entry was posted in ILS, Libraries, Online Services, Software and tagged , , . Bookmark the permalink.