Buying textbooks every semester can be overwhelming with hefty prices for new textbooks and a limited number of used books. The electronic book is a cheaper option students can consider.
The prices of e-books depend on the publishers selling price, said Linda Riggins, textbook manager at A.S. Bookstore. Most the time they are cheaper than used versions of the book.
For example, the bookstore lists "Human Intimacy," by Frank Cox, as $107 new and $80.50 used. The e-book price is $71.50.
One disadvantage of the e-book is the buyback value - there is none, Riggins said. Despite being cheaper upfront, students can't sell them back.
However, many students need reference books for more than one semester.
The amount of time an e-book is available to use after registration depends on publishers, Riggins said. But students who purchase them at the A.S. Bookstore can use them for at least a year.
E-books offer a lot of interactivity that regular textbooks don't have.
"It seemed to have more interactive links and a tutorial with graphics, which was kind of cool about it," junior Margaret Gabriel said. "It was kind of like having a tutor right next to you."
Another benefit of an e-book is the ease of searching for terms or topics related to a chapter or related subject matter.
Searching for a particular section of a chapter is easier, Riggins said. Rather than having to read a whole chapter to find the information, the reader is brought to the information.
Lack of a high-speed Internet connection can make using an e-book frustrating.
"Due to the size of e-books, a high-speed Internet connection is required for downloading stability and speed," according to digitaltextbooks.net, one of two main Web sites the bookstore uses for e-book registration.
Accessibility to the reading material is limited because the books are in electronic form.
"Reading should be pleasurable," senior Samuel Hage said. "Students should be able to read somewhere where they can relax, like outdoors, without worrying about screen glare."
Some professors give students the option of using an e-book or textbook.
Accounting professor Brock Murdoch allows students to use e-books in his classes, he said.
He doesn't make a big deal out of their availability or tell students to buy them, but he allows students to make their own choices, Murdoch said. Students in his classes can share someone else's book for in-class activities or print pages from their e-books to bring to class.
E-books are purchased in the bookstore through an e-book card that is displayed near the textbook or available for purchase behind the counter, Riggins said.
The popularity of e-books isn't high, but some people say that will change with time.
Students tend to ignore them when they are available, even when other textbooks have run out in the bookstore, she said.
Students are becoming more computer-savvy over time, Riggins said. Computer science students or related fields that are used to working with computers pick them up more often than other majors.
Besides the disadvantages of the electronic format, the small selection available compared to textbooks can also be a reason for their lack of popularity, she said.
"Right now the selection of digital books is not that large," she said. "I believe as that expands, they will be more popular."
Mike Lata can be reached at mlata@theorion.com
Be the first to comment on this article!