As part of its quest to be involved in absolutely everything in my entire life, Google is going to provide on-demand printing of books the company has already scanned and made available online. The way it will work is that stores and libraries will have high-speed printing and binding machines that charge people about $8 to print out a public domain, out-of-print book from Google’s collection. The machine can print a 300 page book in under five minutes. Part of the money goes to Google and part of it goes to OnDemand, the maker of the Espresso printing machine. And the rest ($3) goes to the bookstore or library hosting the machine.

There’s been a lot of hubbub in the publishing industry–and the courts–about Google’s digital library and the copyright and royalties problems. So this printing project only includes books with expired copyrights that are no longer in print. However, I’d guess that if it takes off it will soon include authors who opt in to have their works included. This takes it from Google providing information online for free to the company making a profit from it.

I really am quite annoyed that Google has to mark its territory on anything it considers information. It’s creepy. It may very well be the basis of several sci-fi novels already in the works. Think technological singularity, dystopic future, lots of shiny chrome … the usual stuff. I’d like to think they are just a bunch of enthusiastic geeks, but I can’t help but imagine sinister laughter and evil robots who’ve taught themselves emotions when one company declares that it wants to control EVERYTHING. If you think I’m some kind of Luddite communist, replace “Google” with US government, Microsoft, Phillip Morris (they make food!), GE, or corporate bogeyman of your choice.

Although! I have to admit I like what Google produces (I use almost every single service they have). I can see students, book lovers, bookstores, libraries, and (eventually) authors benefiting. I think the publishing industry is very good at knee-jerk reactions and hand-wringing when it comes to technology and sharing. I don’t blame you, publishers: Google was taking your wares and giving them away for free … but please don’t be so busy whining about how no one reads that you ignore how technology is making it possible for people to read more. (See also: Music Industry and how most people actually prefer to pay for their downloads)

I like convenience, so much so that I often don’t see what it costs me in the long run. But I come down squarely in the middle on this one: creeped out by big company making money off something it didn’t produce/controlling everything, worried what this could mean for the industry, excited that I can pay $8 for an out-of-print book that could cost $50 at a used book store because it is rare, hopeful that writers and readers will benefit, skeptical that they will.

New Yorker: Google Books and The Judge
Wired: Google Lets You Custom-Print Millions of Public Domain Books

AP photo of Espresso machine from Telegraph