McNally Jackson Books in Manhattan will introduce an Espresso Book Machine soon, bringing print-on-demand publishing inside the walls of the bookstore.
As you can see in the video embedded above, the machine can print and bind a new book in just a few minutes. According to the New York Observer, there are 37 Espresso Book Machines operating around the world right now. The machine also provides a unique alternative to the instantaneous nature of eBook–delivering a print copy with the same ease as a wireless eBook reader.
Here’s more from the article: “Buyer John Turner sees the machine as a way to expand inventory. It also reduces the hassle and wait time associated with ordering books by request. ‘For me the biggest issue is, quite simply, as a medium-sized bookshop we can’t fit every book in the world on our shelves,’ Mr. Turner said. ‘This will let us provide a wider variety to our customers.'” (Via Publishers Weekly)