InCite

This month we are going to discuss NACS Media Solutions’ (NMS) efforts to make a range of Print on Demand (POD) and Print at Retail (PAR) capabilities including the Espresso Book Machine available to stores of all sizes, enabling stores to provide new services that can improve textbook affordability and provide other benefits.

For most stores POD titles must be purchased in multiple quantities, printed, and then shipped to the store for sale and distribution. While this "print then distribute" model is valuable we believe it can be improved for the benefit of college stores and students. NMS envisions a "distribute then print" model that will enable stores to have enhanced in-store (or at least geographically convenient) printing capabilities to create just-in-time inventory, reduce shipping costs, and offer faculty and students the option for printed content delivered quickly.

NMS is working with a range of current and potential partners to develop a three-tier (national, regional, local) print-on-demand network that provides college stores with broadened capabilities for POD, establishes service standards for prompt delivery of printed content, and expands retailing options for customized content compilations. At the national level, NMS intends to utilize the services of NACSCORP, another for-profit subsidiary of NACS, which currently provides stores with a choice of two million titles that can be printed on demand and shipped to the store through its partnership with Lightning Source. This solution is an effective option for stores that have longer lead times or require larger print volumes.

NMS is currently refining plans and business models for the regional solution and details will be announced in the coming months. The regional piece is significant because it gives stores an opportunity to offer a POD option without the investment required for an in-store solution. Stores that participate in this model will process orders. Those will be routed to an approved regional vendor for printing. In some cases other college stores may fulfill the role of regional production. The finished product is shipped to either the store or customer with a targeted shipping window of 24 hours from the time the order is placed. In addition to other benefits, this solution will help stores reduce inventory costs, back orders, returns, and out-of-stocks, while providing access to a larger title base than what most stores can physically carry in-house.

At the local level stores can acquire an in-store POD/PAR solution or partner with others on campus, such as the library or university press. Campus partnerships can reduce some costs and risks, help reduce cyclical fluctuations, and create new business opportunities.

For stores that would like to acquire an in-store solution, we have entered into a joint marketing agreement with On Demand Books (ODB), the maker of the Espresso Book Machine (EBM), and will market the EBM to the collegiate marketplace as well as work jointly with On Demand Books to license academic content for distribution throughout the worldwide network of EBMs. To date, about 20 college stores have purchased an EBM or are in queue for a machine.

The EBM is known as the “ATM for books,” because it can print, bind, and trim a single-copy paperback book in a few minutes. The books have full-color covers and are virtually indistinguishable from publishers’ editions. The EBM uses an environmentally friendly technology since it eliminates the pulping of unwanted books, shipping, and supply-chain inefficiencies.

The EBM is powered by EspressNet, a proprietary and copyrighted software system that connects EBMs to over one million titles from Lightning Source, two million titles from Google Books, two million titles from the Open Content Alliance, and additional academic content from a variety of sources expected to come online in 2010. Using industry-standard encryption methods, EspressNet assures the security of publishers’ titles, tracks all jobs, and provides for payments to publishers. Content owners retain full ownership and control of their digital files.

For stores that are considering POD it can be difficult to decide when to jump in. POD offers many opportunities but it will likely be more of a transition technology as student preferences shift from print to digital. However, even as preferences shift, students will still want printed materials and stores will need to be able to produce the materials on demand. Publishers will also be looking to reduce their print, distribution, and return costs, creating an opportunity for stores.

New content is being added constantly, and some of our partnerships promise to bring great collections of content to stores as we move closer to the end of 2010. Gaining access to content for POD can be difficult due to licensing conditions and other challenges. Campus stores that have already invested in POD have found that there are opportunities to generate revenue or save costs by producing campus-generated content and a variety of new print products including: classics, family history/genealogy, and customer-generated books (self-publishing). On Demand Books will soon add lightly brandable web-based self-publishing services to their offerings which can help stores prepare the new content for printing.

For campuses which use open-source textbooks, stores may be able to offer the print version of the content ensuring some revenue and helping the store remain the primary source for student’s content needs. This summer, NMS will launch a print-on-demand pilot with Flat World Knowledge that will give college stores the opportunity to print and bind the openly licensed textbooks. NMS is looking to recruit a number of stores to participate in this pilot. Additional details can be found below.

Several institutions have already found the concept of “distribute then print” to be an effective means to improve textbook affordability and create positive public relations opportunities. NMS is working to improve the accessibility of POD capability for all stores through the three-tier model. In the very near future NMS will announce some new pilots, partnerships, and plans which will further expand the variety and versatility of what stores can do around POD.

To learn more about NMS, please visit our website: www.NACSMediaSolutions.com and The CITE blog: http://TheCITE.blogspot.com. You can also find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/NACSMediaSolutions.

If you are interested in the NMS pilot with Flat World Knowledge, contact us: info@nacsmediasolutions.com We are looking for pilot stores that have Flat World adoptions on campus and print capabilities in place. To find out if there are adoptions on your campus, visit Flat World’s website.