Apple, Google, and Sony aren't the only technology companies to enter the book fray. Last October, Hewlett-Packard launched a beta site for BookPrep (bookprep.com), an Internet platform that provides print-on-demand books. The goal, according to Andrew Bolwell, director of HP's corporate venturing, is to enable any book ever published to be available to anyone, whenever they want it, in its original edition or one customized by the buyer. Currently, BookPrep provides access to close to 500,000 out-of-copyright books from the University of Michigan Library and Applewood Books in Carlisle, Mass. Now it is getting ready to move out of the beta phase and to expand its content agreements.
In some respects, BookPrep seems to be heading into the space currently occupied by On Demand Books through its Espresso Book Machine. Both have created business models that take advantage of publishing's long tail and want to see the world's libraries restored in print. But where the two differ is in approach. While the ODB is built around the concept of a device that serves as an ATM for books, BookPrep is working in the cloud.
For now, HP is being selective about the books available on its site. It will offer 700,000 digital files from the University of Michigan Library, which through a partnership with Google is digitizing its entire seven million—volume collection. “We're starting with very large catalogues of public domain books that don't have copyright issues,” said Bolwell, who doesn't rule out adding self-published works in the near future.
Visitors to the BookPrep site can read an entire book for free online before purchasing it in print. Books that are only available in e-book format can be ordered and HP will move them up in the queue to convert from online optimization to print-quality digitalization. In addition to being available on the BookPrep site, the POD titles are also sold on Amazon.com.
“Our focus is to make these books available where anybody would buy books,” said Bolwell. “If libraries or others have machines, they can print them themselves. We'd love to talk to brick-and-mortar booksellers who would like to make these books available in their stores.” Since a number of titles have a distinctly regional focus, Bolwell suggested that they might do well at local booksellers.
Two years ago, HP tried to set up a print-to-order program with independents in partnership with the ABA and Applewood. Despite inquiries from nearly two dozen stores and a special Web portal, the project fizzled. But Applewood, which regularly brings back into print books on American history and culture, continues to work with HP. According to Applewood founder Phil Zuckerman, the publisher will identify books that are the most popular BookPrep titles, put fresh covers on them, and sell them to the trade. Because Applewood's own business model is based on long-tail publishing, it is well positioned to sell these titles into regional bookstores and museums as well as other, nontraditional retailers. “Our breakout [BookPrep] books will be things that sell 500 copies a year,” said Zuckerman, who anticipates that the vast majority of BookPrep titles may sell only one or two copies annually.
From Maria Bonn's perspective as associate university librarian for publishing at the U-M Library, there's very little risk in partnering with BookPrep. The library has been doing reprints from its collection for the past five years, but on a much smaller scale, roughly 10,000 titles. She views the BookPrep/Applewood partnership as a worthwhile experiment while it tries to figure out a business model. “Phil's looking at books where we might sell 200 or 300, where before we sold 10.”
