Traditional textbooks are significantly cheaper and more accessible to students than e-textbooks, according to a study completed this summer by the collective Student Public Interest Research Groups, but textbook publishers argue that e-books offer students more options than traditional ones.
The Duck Store has offered e-books as an alternative option to traditional textbooks for about four years. “Roughly 30 to 40 titles match textbooks we sell,” said Gina Eckrich, Duck Store course materials buyer.
For example, PSY 303 students can purchase required text “Methods in Behavioral
Research” by Paul C. Cozby used or as an e-book for $63.75. The difference is the used textbook can be bought back, making buying the routine textbook cheaper for students than e-textbook.
“It doesn’t surprise me if the prices of digital media increases as demand increases,” Eckrich said. “We lower our margins to bare minimum. It’s not revenue generation for the bookstore. It is a digital alternative for students.”
But e-textbook sellers take issue with the survey, which interviewed 504 students from Oregon and Illinois.
“There are more advantages than the typical new or used textbook,” said Justin Barreto, manager of campaign development and marketing research at MBS Direct, the virtual bookstore that sells books to the Duck Store.
Some e-books have a social network aspect that allows students to see digital notes or highlights that professors or other students make. Students could have a study session using e-book technology without leaving their computers. Keyword searches aid students when looking for text or notes when studying for an exam.
“E-books are environmentally friendly and students don’t have to carry them around,” Barreto said.
According to The Student PIRG’s study, three out of four students favor a printed textbook to a digital textbook.
University senior Allison Bochart agrees.
“I prefer to have a book to write notes and highlight important facts,” Bochart said.
E-textbooks cost on average 39 percent more than purchasing a used hard copy and selling it back online, according to the study.
E-books from The Duck Store can only be accessed at computers that allow the downloading of programs needed to support the e-book. Because University computers prohibit certain downloads, accessing e-books on campus computers can be challenging.
“Only the Cengage Learning books expire after 150 days; the other e-books do not expire,” said Bruce Lundy, The Duck Store Book Division team leader.
Text can be printed, but digital rights management does not allow printing of the entire textbook at one time.
“They have to put preventative measures in place to avoid stealing. The limitations outweigh the benefits to e-books,” Eckrich said.
Only about one percent of students use The Duck Store’s e-books, according to Eckrich.
“I expect more students to start using e-books,” Barreto said.
The Student PIRGs believe open textbooks are a good option for students. Open textbooks are text uploaded by the author to Web sites, such as www.creativecommons.org, for anyone to access for free.
Open textbooks are free, inexpensive to print, never expire and are accessible online and off.
Barreto warns students about the downsides of open textbooks.
“You might get an international version,” Barreto said. “With all of the time and money students put into their education students deserve the correct information and it isn’t guaranteed with open textbooks.”
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