The internet giant has around two million books in its digital repository, mainly titles published before 1923. Under the deal, ODB will print the books as soon as they are ordered using its Espresso Book Machine (EBM), which can print a paperback in five minutes.

“EBM, in effect an ATM for books, will radically decentralise direct-to-consumer distribution,” said Jason Epstein, chairman and co-founder of ODB.

“With the Google inventory the Espresso Book Machine will make it possible for readers everywhere to have access to millions of digital titles in multiple languages, including rare and out of print public domain titles.”

The books will have a recommended price of $US8 ($A9.25). ODB and Google will take $US1 each, and the rest will go to the retailer. Google has said that it will give its share to charities and non-profit concerns.

Key to the current scheme are the Espresso machines. ODB charges around $US100,000 ($A115,000) for the hardware but also leases them out.

“This is a revolutionary product. Instead of the traditional Gutenberg model of centrally producing, shipping and selling, we sell first then produce,” explained Dane Neller, chief executive and co-founder of ODB.

“In a matter of minutes you can get a paperback book identical to one you can get in a store at point of sale. It has the potential to change the publishing industry.”

Australia saw its first EBM deployed in September last year at the Angus and Robertson bookstore in Melbourne’s Bourke Street. The machines have also found their way into libraries and trade and campus bookstores around the world.

Google last week suffered a setback in its Book Search plans, with the US Department of Justice urging a federal court to reject a settlement reached between Google and American publishers.

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