The Espresso Book Machine is a stand alone publishing unit. Businesses either buy or rent the system and their customers can buy any of the books that have been electronically installed.
When the customer makes a selection, the machine begins to physically print the book including assembling it with a perfect-bound wrap-around color cover. It takes around ten minutes to complete the book, about the time it takes to go get an espresso and drink it.
The system is a good way for a bookstore to sell more books than they have shelf space for. The Tattered Cover has a machine in their downtown Denver bookstore, a joint venture with Kobo. The pages are not as good as offset printing since you can feel the buildup of the letter ink on the interiors, but it's cool to make your own custom copy.
Iron Noder 2017