FAQs about Opus - Book-printing at Politics & Prose

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT OPUS

Who or what is Opus?

Opus is Politics and Prose’s new book-making machine. Developed by On Demand Books and distributed in a partnership with Xerox, the machine uses digital files to produce a high-quality paperback book in minutes. With it, customers can access millions of out-of-print books or publish their own manuscripts. Please see the On Demand Books website (ondemandbooks.com) for more information.

Where is it? Can I see it?

Opus is located in the Fiction Room of Politics and Prose, near the front window. We’d love for you to come and visit. We will be open for business from 11.00 AM at the latest to 4.00 PM at the earliest, nearly every day. If you’d like to watch a book being produced, these are the hours it’s most likely to happen. It’s fun to watch. Alternatively, write a book and we’ll print it for you!

How durable are the books?

The paperback books printed on Opus meet the same publishing industry standards as the paperback books on the shelves of Politics and Prose - and will last just as long.

How long does it take to print a book?

Between five to ten minutes for most books. Some books are ready in less than four minutes!

Can you print in color?

We can print the cover in color, but the interior pages, including illustrations, are only in black and white.

How does it work?

·         Opus starts with PDF files provided by the author, the publisher or by another content aggregator.

·         The PDF files are either downloaded from the machine’s database or uploaded in the store.

·         The interior pages are printed, in black and white, double sided, on 8.5” x 11” paper, by a laser jet printer.

·         Simultaneously, the cover is printed by a full-color inkjet printer on a 17” x11” (tabloid) sheet of coverstock.

·         The interior pages and the cover are bound together using cool-bind glue.

·         The book is trimmed down to size, then slides out the chute, ready to be picked up and read.

What types of books can Politics and Prose print?

Opus can print three different types of books:

·         In-print, in-copyright books made available by publishers. These books will look and cost the same as if you’d pulled a copy off the shelf.

·        Facsimiles of Public Domain (out-of-copyright) books that have been scanned to produce PDFs. Many books have been digitized for archival purposes, and we can use the resulting files to print facsimile paperbacks. The resulting book will contain everything that was in the scan (library markings, notes, etc.). Public domain books print with a generic cover that varies depending on the source of the book.

·        Custom Printing/Self-Published books. These are books uploaded by authors who want to print their own work. Authors can use the machine to print and sell their work or to print their books for personal use.

How can I browse for or order a book from Opus?

The database of books available for printing on Opus is compiled and managed by On Demand Books, the makers of the machine.

You can search for printable books in our Print on Demand database by clicking here. Orders can be placed through the website, by calling us at (202) 349-1182, or in person at the store.

If you know that the book you’re looking for is in the Public Domain, you can search for it in databases such as Google Books (books.google.com/books), the Internet Archive (www.archive.org), or On Demand Books (ondemandbooks.com). If you find a title and would like to know if it would be possible to print it, as well as what the cost would be, simply email us at Opus@politics-prose.com.

Can I print my book on Opus? How much would it cost? Any bulk discounts?

Yes you can print your book on Opus! Please click to see our self-publishing guidelines and our pricing guide.

Why choose Politics and Prose for my Self-Publishing Project?

Authors have options when it comes to self-publishing their work. The advantage of Opus is that it allows an author to retain complete control over the process. There are no minimums and no large upfront expenses. You can print exactly as many books as you need now, with the option of ordering more in the future. As author, you retain all rights to your book, including non-exclusive distribution rights, and modifications to your book are possible for a small fee. You set the sales price of your book, and have the option to offer it for sale on consignment in the store and on our website via our Print-on-Demand Consignment Program.

Further, by choosing Politics and Prose, you are supporting a local business that enriches the community, pays city taxes and provides donations and support to local organizations.  You will also be dealing with us personally, not a faceless website or corporation, and we will make every effort to provide the help you need to see your project through to a successful conclusion.

What size books can Opus produce?

Book size is determined by two factors; trim size and number of pages. The number of pages can range from 40 to about 800 pages. The trim size is infinitely variable between 4.5” x 5” and 8” x 10.5”. Most in-copyright books have standard trim sizes (between 5” x 8” and 6” x 9”), while Public Domain books vary widely. If you wish to print your own book, you can set your trim size to whatever suits you best (within the limits of the machine).

Can you choose the cover you want on previously-printed books?

No, we have to use the covers that download with the book files. If you are printing your own book, you are free to design any cover you wish.

Can you change the size of the text on previously-printed books?

No, we cannot modify the text size as part of the printing process.

How do I know what my book will look like when it prints?

If you’re ordering an in-copyright title, then your book will look like any paperback off the shelf. There is no way to preview the inside contents of an in-copyright book. If you’re ordering a Public Domain title, your book will have a generic cover. You can preview the inside of the book by looking at the PDF we’ll use to print it.

Can you print books in other languages?

Yes! We are printing from PDFs, so we have no problems with foreign characters.

Is the machine environmentally friendly?

Yes. In the world of long-tail book sales, many customers request individual titles that we do not carry. Opus is ideal because it allows us to produce and sell those books quickly and with a minimum of waste. We also are able to fill these orders through Opus in a matter of minutes rather than days, and are able to avoid the fuel consumption and packaging involved in transporting a single copy of a book from the publisher to a bookstore.

For millions of Public Domain titles, Opus provides an efficient way to bring a book back to life, so to speak, without requiring a large initial print-run, storage of extra copies, or shipping for distribution. We can simply print one copy of a book when and where the customer requests it. The only by-product of our book printing is the excess paper that remains after the books are trimmed down to size, which we can reuse and recycle.

How much do the books cost?

The price depends on where the book came from.

If it is an in-copyright title available from the publisher, the publisher sets the list price. The book will cost the same as if you had bought it off the shelf.

If the book is a Public Domain title, the price will be $8.00 for books of up to 200 pages, and an extra $2.00 for every 100 pages or fewer thereafter. A book of 350 pages, for example, will cost $12.00.The sales prices of self-published books are determined by the author.

If you are printing your own book, please click to review our pricing guide.

What if I still have questions?

No problem. For answers, please email Opus@politics-prose.com, or make an appointment to speak to David or Bill. Thank You!