Magically Making Books

Ingram is the biggest book distribution company there is. Jeremy Greenfield, for Digital Book World, recently took a tour of Nashville plants that Ingram uses for print on demand distribution, i.e. distribution of books directly to retailers, libraries, schools and other partners. Interesting what he wrote: "I’ve never been on the floor of a real manufacturing or major shipping facility and I was completely wowed. The level of complexity and sophistication in the operations is mind-boggling. The size and scale of what’s being done there blew me away. And it was almost magical to see books being made, packed and shipped from this one place to points around the country, to know that the few books I touched in the process would soon be read and maybe loved by someone I’ll never meet." I assume the books that are being "magically" made are softcover books. Hardcover books, with special sewing and foil stamps, need to be made in a less automated way. So, what product do you think will be commoditized in the future and what product do you think will have true value?