The Espresso Book Machine at the University of Michigan Library: Questions and Answers

Last updated: 11-16-2009

Our FAQ addresses questions regarding our personal experience with the version 1.5 machine installed at the University of Michigan Library. For general questions about the EBM itself, including hardware, software, and book specs, please see On Demand Books’ extensive FAQ.

Q: Why did you purchase the EBM?
A: The University Library purchased an Espresso Book Machine in order to help our users connect with content in the ways most useful to them. We are committed to providing free online access to as much of the Library’s content as is legally possible, both through our own scanning initiatives and large-scale digitization efforts such as the Google library project. Most of our digital content also resides in its original print form in our stacks, for normal check-out or interlibrary loan. But sometimes, the format that’s most desired or helpful is a printed copy that one can own outright. The EBM helps us maximize the reprint potential inherent in the thousands of digital files residing in our repository, in a quick and cost-effective way.

Q: How much did the machine cost?
A: The machine retailed for about $100,000, although we did receive an educational discount.

Q: How did you pay for the machine?
A: The machine was purchased with donations to the Library.

Q: How long have you had the machine?
A: We’ve had the machine since June of 2008. We began selling books from it in October of that year.

Q: Have you recouped the cost of the machine yet?
A: Our focus is not to make the machine pay for itself (although we do want to optimize its use). Rather, it’s a service offered by the Library to provide low-cost print options for digital files, particularly to the campus and local community.

Q: Where is your machine located?
A: Our machine is located in the first floor lobby of the Shapiro Undergraduate Library, behind the circulation desk.

Q: Where is the machine made?
A: The machines are built in the U.S. Please see the ODB FAQ for more details.

Q: Who runs the machine? How much training is needed?
A: We have a primary operator who is responsible for running the machine on a day-to-day basis. She has trained 2 additional staff members as back-up operators. The primary operator spent about 6 hours in training with an ODB technician.

Q: How did you decide where to put it and who would run it?
A: The location was selected after reviewing the parameters needed to ensure that the machine would operate properly, and provide high visibility and accessibility. We selected a staff member who was experienced with photo-duplication and printer operation to run the machine, so we could better care for printer-related issues that might arise.

Q: How much maintenance time is required?
A: The primary operator spends on average an hour to an hour-and-a-half per week for the service and maintenance tasks that we can perform in-house.

Q: Do you have a maintenance contract for the machine? Who makes repairs?
A: Software-related adjustments can be made remotely by ODB’s Chief Technology Officer. Any other mechanical problems that can’t be resolved in-house are reported to On Demand Books. They then dispatch one of their technicians to the site as quickly as possible.

Q: Are you making money?
A: For the University Library, owning and operating the EBM is not a profit-driven venture. Our main goal is to cover our costs, with a small amount added to that (~$1.00/book). We strive to keep the cost of the books as reasonable as possible, without losing money.

Q: Do you have usage statistics for the machine? How many orders do you fill per week?
A: We don’t have usage statistics per se. The number of individual customer orders varies from week to week; it averages around 4-6 per week. We are also using the machine to print advance review copies of forthcoming titles issued by the University of Michigan Press, which amounts to fairly large orders each month.

Q: What do you charge for books, and how did you determine your pricing?
A: For titles from our internal EBM catalog, we currently charge $6.00 for books 150 pages or less, and $10.00 for books between 151 and ~450 pages. Books larger than 450 pages are $20.00, as they must be produced in 2 volumes. The cost per book is based on direct operational expenses—-paper, toner, and other miscellaneous consumables, related salary, vendor expense and an estimated related waste cost. Equipment costs (depreciation) were not included.

Q: Can anyone buy books from the machine, or can it only be used by those affiliated with the University of Michigan?
A: You do not need to be affiliated with the University of Michigan in any way in order to purchase books from the machine. However, we are not currently shipping the books, so you need to be able to pick them up in person. For non-local customers, many of our public domain titles can be purchased on Amazon.com, and more titles are being added to Amazon each week through our agreements with Booksurge, Hewlett Packard, and Google.

Q: Can people come by to see the machine in operation?
A: Yes. The machine is normally in operation M – F from 10:00 a.m. to noon, and sometimes beyond. Visitors are welcome to stop by during those hours to see the machine in use, or to purchase a title from the EBM catalog, or to place a request for a book not yet loaded. Book requests may also be submitted using the online request form. Demonstrations can also be arranged by appointment; contact lib-EBM@umich.edu for details.

Q: What types of books do people buy? What’s your most popular title?
A: Religion, science, exploration, and math are probably some of the most requested categories, although the subject matter of books that have sold on the EBM varies widely. That’s the beauty of print on demand, especially with an EBM—there’s no need to carry inventory, or try to forecast trends, or limit what’s offered. Thousands of already digitized titles are simply at the ready, if and when a customer comes along who wants a print copy.

Q: If I want to buy a book, how does the order and payment process work?
A: If the book is in our local EBM catalog, you can stop by between the hours of 10:00 and noon M-F and have the book printed for you while you wait. If no one is at the machine, you can fill out one of the paper request forms at the desk and leave it for processing. If a book you’d like is not already prepped and in the catalog, you can use the online request form. You can also submit a request by emailing the book details (title, author, publication date, and the link to the online version, if possible) to lib-EBM@umich.edu. When your book is ready, you’ll be notified. You can then stop by the circulation desk at the Shapiro library and pay the desk staff. They accept cash, check, or charge, and are usually available to take payment until at least 6:00 p.m. , M-F. They will then retrieve the book for you.

Q: Who are your main customers? Mostly students or faculty?
A: The majority of our customers are members of the University of Michigan community, but we have also had a fair number of orders from local residents.

Q: Can you print any kind of book, from any source?
A: There are several requirements for printing an item on the EBM: it must already be digitized, we must have access to the digital file, and we must either have a clear agreement with the rights holder to print copyright-protected works, or the content must be in the public domain. Physical constraints are that the file must be at least ~60 pages in length, with a final trim size greater than 4.5” x 4.5” but not more than 8.25” x 10.75”. Books with more than ~450 pages will need to be bound in two volumes. The machine produces a softcover (perfectbound) book; there is no hardcover binding option. It can print 4-color covers, but black and white interiors only. Images may or may not reproduce well, depending on the source file.

Q: Are you printing Google books?
A: Yes, we are printing public domain books from several sources. This includes books from the Google digitization project, as well as items from our own digitization efforts such as the Making of America collection and from the Internet Archive’s Open Content Alliance. Google-scanned titles are also available via the EspressNet catalog, courtesy of On Demand Books’ recent agreement with Google.

Q: Will you be selling in-copyright titles via the EspressNet catalog?
A: We are considering the implications of selling the in-copyright titles. For now, we are limiting sales to the public domain items available on the networked catalog.

Q: How long does it take to fill an order?
A: If a book is already prepped and loaded to the catalog, it can be printed in 7-10 minutes. If interior and cover PDFs need to be created for new titles, we ask that customers allow 2-3 business days for fulfillment.

Q: Where do I go to see all the titles available for printing?
A: We currently have a limited number of titles which can be viewed in our local machine/reprints">EBM catalog.

Q: Who actually manages the machine or is responsible for it?
A: The Library itself owns the machine, and staff from several units within the Library are responsible for various aspects of running the EBM and making policy decisions. This management team includes the Library’s Chief Operating Officer, Collection Development Officer, Director of Onsite Access Services and Distributed Libraries, Director of the Scholarly Publishing Office and two of her staff, an Information Resources Manager and one of her staff, and a Senior Associate Librarian from Library Administration.

Q: What problems have you encountered with the machine?
A: Most of the problems occurred early on, when we were getting the machine up and running. These included both software and hardware problems, as well as a learning curve on our end in properly preparing files for the machine. We rarely experience problems with the machine nowadays, and any tweaks needed usually can be done remotely.

Q: Have you partnered with the university or local bookstores in any way?
A: We have not had any discussions with either the university bookstores or local bookstores, although we’re open to exploring ways the machine might prove mutually beneficial.

Q: If I wrote a book, or have other digital files I’d like printed, can you print those on the EBM for me?
A: Yes*, provided you a) sign a permissions letter confirming that you either own the rights to the work or have received permission from the rights holder to print it, b) can provide us with a correctly formatted PDF file for the interior and a PDF file for the cover, and c) can pick up the printed book in person. [*We have not yet officially launched this service. When we do, more information will be posted to the EBM web site.]

Q: Can the EBM be used to print course packs? What’s the relationship between the EBM and Reserves?
A: We cannot use the EBM to reproduce in-copyright materials without the explicit permission of the rights holder. If instructors have public domain materials or materials to which they own the rights and that they would like printed in book form, this is possible, within the usual constraints of the machine. If an instructor is putting a public domain book on reserve, we can offer the alternative of a low-cost print copy for students.