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Print on Demand
© Richard Loeffler
Sep 17, 2000
Electronic Publishing is not only electronic books. The electronic formatting of books is only the first step in the creation of all p-books these days. But because of advances in technology publishers aren't necessarily committed to printing any particular number of books of any title.
The technology that enables this is called POD or Print on Demand. Print on Demand uses electronic files, either the publishers' files or scanned files of clean copies of books and prints them on a laser printer. The two most popular systems are Xerox Ducu Tech and the IBM InfoPrint. They can both print several hundred pages a minute, collate, trim and bind a book
in about five minutes.
One of the leaders in the industry is Lightning Source, a division of Ingram Books. Lightning Source has agreements with over 600 publishers and a library of over 10,000 titles which increases each week by 250 titles. Lightning Source promises 48 hour delivery of POD books and even produces hardcover editions besides trade paperbacks. Lightning Source is now in the process of digitising Simon and Schuster's 12,000 title backlist. The titles can also be delivered as electronic books via modem immediately if the bookstore desires.
Lightning Source also has an agreement with Amazon.com to offer POD to its customers. When a customer orders a title from Amazon.com that is in Lightning Source's digital library, Lightning will print the title in whatever quantity required, ship the books to Amazon, which will then ship the order to the customer.
But POD is not just for publishers and distributors. Sprout, an Atlanta based digital book wholesaler, reached agreement with 15 members of the Independent Booksellers Consortium to install its machines in their stores by the end of this year. Sprout has its systems some Borders stores and Follett's distribution centers. The bookstore can print the title in less than 15 minutes from a catalogue of more than 15,000 titles. Sprout offers the stores the option of either purchasing or leasing the equipment. It won't be long until
there will be smaller and less expensive POD units coming in the near future from familiar names in the computer/printer industry.
Last month, Barnes & Noble announced they would be using IBM POD technology to produce books on site in their retail stores and on its website. In January, Barnes & Noble will begin working with publishers to build a digital library. Books will be scanned into the POD system or provided in a PDF format. Customers will be able to order books electronically via PC's or wireless handheld devices. Barnes & Noble expects to increase its selection of POD titles by 50,000 titles in the next five years.
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The copyright of the article Print on Demand in E-Books is owned by Kris Williams. Permission to republish Print on Demand in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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