Kate Emricson
Contributing Writer
Some students’ perceptions of online textbooks are very different from those of the North Central Bookstore. The availability of online textbooks are increasing, but are students willing to make the switch?
According to Lillian Knight, manager of the bookstore at North Central College, the bookstore offers about 33 percent of books required for classes at North Central online. More and more books are being offered online everyday, says Knight.
This year the bookstore sold 148 online textbooks and 5,800 traditional textbooks. Knight says the number of online textbooks sold has been steadily increasing. Knight believes that the number of online textbooks sold will keep increasing and that eventually students will make the switch.
Both students at and Knight agree on some of the benefits of online textbooks. Like accessibility, they aren’t nearly as heavy as traditional textbooks and convenience.
They also agree on the advantages of traditional textbooks. Some of these advantages are that they are tangible, your computer or tablet doesn’t need to be charged to use them, and they can sell them back.
Where the two differ however, is affordability and over all preference.
Students seem to believe that online textbooks are not that much cheaper than the traditional textbooks they are currently buying.
“I could probably save money but not enough to make a huge difference,” said Deanna Siegel, sophomore English major and Spanish minor.
While Liz Halbmaier, junior marketing major, said, “Online Textbooks are actually more expensive so I’d spend just as much if not more.”
However, Knight said that online textbooks are often 20 percent to 60 percent cheaper than traditional textbooks even with the sell back value of traditional textbooks.
Another huge factor in buying an online textbook is if a student owns a tablet. While all of the online textbooks that the bookstore offers need Internet to be accessed students are more likely to buy an online textbook if they own a tablet.
“I would buy them if I had a nook or something, but I like to have the physical book with me because what if the piece of technology you are using runs out of batteries…that would be pretty lame,” said Kathy Tarchala, sophomore art and psychology major.
Students seem to prefer to use traditional textbooks.
“I prefer buying traditional textbooks because I can write and highlight on the pages. I learn better this way,” said Siegel
Some online textbooks do let students highlight the text. However some students prefer the tangible textbook because they have less distractions then online textbooks.
“If I used an online textbook I’d be really tempted to go on Facebook or Tumblr instead of reading,” Becca Scruto, sophomore IMS graphic design major.
