Barnes & Noble Selects IBM To Provide Print-on-demand Technology

Posted on December 10, 1999

Barnes & Noble, Inc. has announced that IBM will provide Barnes & Noble and barnesandnoble.com with the technology and manufacturing components for print-on-demand facilities in its distribution centers. This technological capability will enable the company to offer customers a wider range of titles, including e-books, without the company having to invest in any additional physical inventory. The first facility will be operational in the Jamesburg, New Jersey distribution center by spring 2000.

The print-on-demand process is a new method for printing books one copy at a time. From start to finish, the entire process takes under five minutes. The technology also makes books available in all electronic formats. Barnes & Noble and IBM have been working with a pilot group of publishers over the past few months, and Barnes & Noble intends to bring its range of digital services to the entire publishing community early next year. Barnes & Noble's arrangement with IBM will also support its recently announced investment in iUniverse.com.

"Barnes & Noble is going digital in a big way. Our new deal with IBM will enable us to convert massive amounts of content in a fast and efficient manner into high-quality printed and electronic books," said Steve Riggio, vice chairman of Barnes & Noble, Inc. "Barnes & Noble's success has always been rooted in its commitment to offering the widest selection of titles. We now stock virtually every known book in print, with almost one million titles on the shelves of our distribution center. No other bookseller comes close to that number. Print-on-demand enables us to push the envelope even further."