[WEB4LIB] RE: Books on Demand

[Thomas M G Bennett]

Remember when computers filled large rooms and cost hundreds of thousands
(well maybe just thousands)...it was even said when ATT Labs created the
mouse that it would not catch on (Apple built on that) ... and today you can
hold a computer in your hand that is many times more powerful than those
first computers and virtually every computer comes with a mouse (or some
type of pointing device).

Of course because of the physical size of a book in general there are
certain limitations on the binding machine size, but I can see where one day
this may lead to acquisitions ordering a book from the supplier, it is
printed and bound in the library as the order is processed and is ready to
be put in or already in the system catalog.  Wait and see, but not
necessarily in the near future.

At a building planning meeting yesterday, it was brought up that the book is
here to stay not to be totally replaced by electronic versions because of
patron demand mainly.  And, the library is not changing from one format to
another but yet evolving to encompass traditional, current, and future media
types from scrolls to ebooks and beyond.

Thomas
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Computer Consultant III            University Library
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-----Original Message-----
From: web4lib at webjunction.org
[mailto:web4lib at webjunction.org]On Behalf Of Jerry Kuntz
Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2001 11:53 AM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: [WEB4LIB] RE: Books on Demand


The website cited below concentrates on the binding aspect, which--as far as
libraries are concerned--may be the most factor in Print on Demand.
Our local Barnes & Noble had a Print on Demand machine running more than a
year ago, but from what I saw of the bindings then, they were totally
inadequate for repeat library use.
The production-scale binding machines I've seen depicted fill large rooms
and cost hundreds of thousands, so if someone has invented a better
mousetrap, more power to them...(I'll believe it when I see one standing up
to heavy circ traffic).
On the other hand, how much worse can the bindings be than some that are
produced now by some of the major publishers?


---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: Robin Zalben <Robin.Zalben at alverno.edu>
Reply-To: Robin.Zalben at alverno.edu
Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2001 09:16:26 -0700 (PDT)

>I think the best area for this is Large Print Books...if these machines
>could do large print, then the visually impaired wouldn't be stuck with
>Bestsellers, Westerns and Romances!!!
>
>Robin
>
>Robin Zalben
>PC Specialist
>Alverno College
>Milwaukee, WI
>
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Daniel Messer [mailto:dmesser at yvrls.lib.wa.us]
>Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2001 9:48 AM
>To: Multiple recipients of list
>Subject: [WEB4LIB] Books on Demand
>
>
>Good morning, one and all!
>
>While reading one of my favorite geek news sites, Slashdot
>(www.slashdot.org), I came across a little article about books on
>demand. Bacially, what this entails is a machine purchased by your local
>bookstore that can literally make a book while you wait. You ask for a
>book, the store checks its database, if the book is in the database then
>the cashier sends the information to the machine which goes to work
>printing, cutting, and binding your book. The technology is being
>developed by a rust belt engineer and the man who invented the high
>quality trade paperback.
>
>I'd hate to say that this is the "wave of the future" since a lot of
>people said e-books are the "wave of the future" despite dismal sales
>and inflated prices. But this is certainly intriguing. If anyone is
>interested at all, here's the website with the full story.
>
>http://www.business2.com/ebusiness/2001/07/perfectbook_machine.htm
>
>Have a good one!
>Dan
>
>--
>Mondai wa
>The subject in queston...
>---
>Daniel Messer
>Technologies Instructor
>Yakima Valley Regional Library
>102 N 3rd St  Yakima, WA 98901
>(509) 452-8541 x712
>dmesser at yvrls.lib.wa.us
>---
>On your mark, bokura ga
>soredemo yamenai no wa
>yume no shamen miagete (itsuka wa)
>yuke-sou na ki ga suru kara
>     Chage & Asuka "On Your Mark"
>
>

--
Jerry Kuntz
Electronic Resources Consultant
Ramapo Catskill Library System
jkuntz at rcls.org
Author, KidsClick! Web Searching Skills Guide,
http://www.neal-schuman.com/db/3/173.html
--