Although it’s happening a bit later than originally anticipated, Kodak Alaris and On Demand Books, which sells the Espresso Book Machine, will begin the first pilot outside a bookstore or library in the U.S. by pairing an EBM with a Kodak Picture Kiosk in a drugstore this spring. Family-owned Bartell Drugs, the oldest drugstore chain in the U.S. with 61 stores, will test the EBM at its University Village store in Seattle. The store will be able to create photo books as well as self-published books and more than 7 million books in-copyright or the public domain via the EspressNet® digital catalogue. That will make the third Seattle EBM; both Third Place Books and University of Washington Bookstore have the machine.
“This new offering from Kodak Alaris represents the latest in exciting new solutions that are relevant to our market and help us drive business in our stores,” said Howie Cohen, category manager for Bartell Drugs. “As consumers seek more ways to express themselves and create personalized products, this technology offers an exciting, accessible way for them to engage with their content, whether through words or pictures.” Added On Demand Books CEO Dane Neller, “We are very excited, through our partnership with Kodak Alaris and Bartell Drugs, to see this technology expand into new channels where more consumers can access and use it.”
