Demand with Caution

Print On Demand undoubtedly revolutionized the world of publishing. Not only has this new platform transformed the printing process, it has also made publishing a more accessible commodity. POD has democratized publishing. Now, it is possible for anyone to be his or her own author. Well, anyone that can generate a PDF, according to Ludovico. In the excerpt Print On Demand from Alessandro Ludovico’s book Post-Digital Print, he discusses the history of Print On Demand as well as the pros and cons that exist within it.

One of the most powerful things that I think POD offers is this notion of democracy. With this format, publishing is no longer just for the elite, but for everyone. This idea does have its downfalls though, described in Ludovico’s passage as “mass amateurization.” Before books were printed, editors carefully proofed them, but by the means of POD, publishing becomes an instantaneous process.

“The Gutenberg revolution is over… It’s going from a world of ‘filter, then publish’ … to ‘publish, then filter.’”

Yes, it is amazing that now it is possible to publish pretty much anything. As Ludovico points out, experimental and innovative books can now be published at a more affordable rate. This is an exciting new platform! But one thing I think we have to be careful of, as designers and as a people, is authenticity and authorship.