Print on Demand book from the Internet Archive

Print on Demand book from the Internet Archive
Originally uploaded by JoshB.

Brewster Kahle explained the Internet Archive's BookMobile project, where they have a mobile unit that can print and bind a physical copy of a book for the cost of about $1. They have these all over the world, and need a whole lot more!

Comments

[charlie]

i don't know about the $1 price, but print on demand is really cool. i just printed, via print on demand, a book i wrote and a set of short stories. i was impressed with the quality, though the paper was maybe too high quality for a book (white printer paper vs the soft off-white papers of trade paperbacks).

but two thoughts come to mind with this digital to physical connection:
- it is amazing that they have done this. just find the book. click. and it shows up at home.
- with everything digital, why are we still enamoured with books? how long will books reign as physical objects. will they always rule, but change to digital displays. or will be always demand the fixity of ink on paper?

[David Jacobs]

No one in the world prefers e-readers to books at this point, right? I think our books are safe for now.

[David Jacobs]

Actually, here's an example of using audio inline to improve what could be an ebook experience.