The Espresso Book Machine® (the “EBM”), which was named to Time Magazine’s “Best Inventions of 2007” list, provides a revolutionary direct-to-consumer distribution and print model for books. The EBM is essentially an ATM for books that automatically prints, binds, and trims, on demand at point of sale, perfect-bound, library-quality paperback books. These books, which have full color covers, are indistinguishable from other books sold in bookstores. A 300-page book can be produced in four minutes (serially, in three minutes) for a cost of consumables of a penny per page (the EBM can produce a book of up to 830 pages). “EspressNet,” the EBM’s proprietary and copyrighted software system, assures the security of publishers’ titles, automatically tracks all jobs, and remits all royalty payments. The EBM produces a books using letter sized (8.5" x 11") or A4 paper, tabloid (11" x 17") or A3 coverstock, toner, ink and glue. Ultimately, the EBM will make it possible to distribute virtually every book ever published, in any language, anywhere on earth, as easily, quickly, and cheaply as e-mail.

On Demand Books (ODB) replaces the inefficient and centralized supply chain for the distribution of books – essentially unchanged since Gutenberg – with a radically decentralized direct-to-consumer retail model in which content is fully distributed electronically at point of sale and converted into a paperback book.

The EBM can now print over two million public domain and in-copyright titles. ODB has a strategic alliance with Lightning Source™ Inc. (“LSI”). LSI, a subsidiary of the Ingram Book Group (the world’s largest wholesale distributor of books), is the industry’s premier POD distributor of books. Its digital database includes over a million titles from over 6,500 publishers. ODB has the use of LSI’s digital conversion facilities and the right to print LSI’s vast library of titles, pending publisher approval. In addition, the EBM has access to more than one million public-domain books through the Open Content Alliance (a joint effort by Microsoft, Yahoo, Adobe, and the Internet Archive to create a digital database of high-quality scans of out-of-copyright books) and titles from other repositories. Content is expected to increase substantially as more EBMs are adopted by bookstores, libraries, and other venues across the globe.

Content is expected to increase substantially as more EBM’s are adopted by bookstores, libraries and other venues across the globe.