Bookmobile Photos

Used by permission -- Terrie Miller, the O'Reilly Network

Last night people turned out at the Internet Archive in San Francisco for the launch of the Internet Bookmobile. The bookmobile includes all the equipment needed to download, print, and bind public domain books on the spot. During the next next week and a half, Brewster Kahle and his eight-year-old son, Caslon, will drive from the Bay Area to Washington DC, bringing the bookmobile's services (and message) to schools, libraries, retirement homes, museums and gatherings along the way.

They plan to reach to their destination on October 9, where they'll park at the United States Supreme Court building and print books as the court hears arguments in Eldred v. Ashcroft. From the Internet Bookmobile web site:

On October 9th the Supreme Court will hear arguments in Eldred v. Ashcroft, a landmark case that will decide how many books are part of the digital library the Bookmobile brings. The founding fathers decided that copyright protection should last for 14 years and then another 14 years if the author chose to renew. Over the last 200 years, this has been extended many times to where it is now life of the author plus 70 years. Each time this is extended, this decreases the number of books that enter the public domain. Without those books, there can be no digital bookmobile.

The bookmobile uses a MotoSAT satellite system for internet access. At schools, kids will be given the chance to select a book to download and then print with an HP4600dn color laser printer. They'll use a Fastback Model 8 binder and a Triumph 3905 cutter to finish their book. During the trip, Kahle will educate libraries about what it takes to make, print, and bind public domain books for their own patrons.

To see if the bookmobile is planning a stop near you, check their Where is the Bookmobile pages.

Stay tuned for more coverage from our own Richard Koman, who will be traveling with the bookmobile to Washington.