Change Afoot in Bookstores?

     The man was a picture of contentment. Surrounding him were a mix of eclectic books, several which piqued his curiosity. He browsed inside an independent bookstore in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
     He ignored a machine situated at the end of an isle. Maybe he should have paid it attention. That machine could someday affect his browsing habit.
     The printer was an Espresso Book Machine (seen in the bottom photo). It prints out paperback books on demand. If a customer requests a book unavailable in the store, the manager can print a copy as the customer waits. Quality is top notch. Only a few minutes are required to fulfill an order.
     The convenience is wonderful but there are ramifications to consider.
     If the bookstore can satisfy a customer’s request with a machine, what incentive will it have to stock a wide range of books? Printing on demand lessens the store’s financial risk. Rather than stocking an obscure title, why not wait until a customer orders it? The book would then be printed on the spot.
     That scenario would kill browsing.
     Exploring shelves of obscure books is the attraction of browsing. Eclectic titles are what sets apart independent bookstores from chain stores.
     Or maybe the Espresso Machine will enhance browsing. The bookstore will stock more eclectic books, knowing that customers could still order—on demand—mainstream books from popular authors.
     Less than fifty of these Espresso Machines operate at bookstores in the United States. Soon they’ll be hundreds of stores using these machines. These printers could become a transformative force in the book industry.
     I’m hoping that indie bookstores do the right thing. They’ll keep on stocking eclectic books. Searching and discovery makes a bookstore special.

Espresso Book Machine prints books on demand.