E-readers allow students textbook alternative

Textbooks are hard – hard to purchase and hard to carry.

E-readers are portable electronic devices designed primarily for the purpose of reading digital books, e-books and periodicals. Common e-reader devices include the Kindle and the Nook tablets.

John Jones, assistant professor of English at West Virginia University specializing in digital communication, said the possibility of an e-textbook future is possible but marred by legal constraints.

"The problem with a lot of e-books is they limit your ability to do natural things," he said.

Jones said a common issue with e-reader and e-book usage is the inability for users to copy and paste text in note taking, a primary reason for owning a tablet for academic purposes.

"The whole point of having text on a screen is so you can copy and paste it," he said.

Several copyright and legal limits apply to e-book users. E-book purchasers own a license to read an e-book, Jones said, rather than ownership of a book, and many e-books are made for one specific type of reader. Jones said this is done to prevent students from sharing e-books and reselling used physical books.

"Textbook publishers love this. With digital textbooks, they've solved the problem because you don't actually own the textbook," he said.

Jones said the issues surrounding e-books may not prevent them from becoming popular tools in the future.

"I think there's a lot of promise. We'll be able to integrate lots of media, such as video, images and audio into textbooks," he said.

Jones said universities may consider marketing a specifically-designed e-reader to its students to provide them with an alternative to printed text.

"I would get universities, instead of supporting the ecosystems of publishers, to make e-books that are provided by the university and are available to all students for a nominal fee," he said.

In March 2011, the research division of the National Association of College Stores published a survey of 655 students across the nation.

The report revealed a 6 percent increase in textbook e-book purchases when compared to an October 2010 study, although 75 percent of students in the study preferred printed textbooks.

"Although the vast majority of students still do not own a dedicated e-reader, this is a significant jump in five short months," said NACS Chief of Planning and Research Julie Traylor in a press release.

Troy Washam, a junior political science student, believes e-readers are a more convenient and inexpensive means of purchasing textbooks.

"They're definitely a better alternative to charging hundreds of dollars for textbooks," he said.

Jones said the viability of e-readers may change in the future as more universities and academic institutions choose to shift to newer forms of technology.

"This is one of the things universities with more resources can do. The ecosystem is going to change," he said.