Are eBooks right for me? (Part 2)
So in our last post we spoke of the many good reasons why you may want to consider buying an instead of the new or used textbook, now it is important for you to see the whole picture to understand what disadvantages the may have.
In some estimates the cost savings are not great enough, especially when you consider the overall value of the textbook. How you calculate this is up for great debate and many students have had personal experiences which will alter how they choose to fill in these numbers. In the beginning of the semester you pay cash up front for your books. At the end of the semester during buyback your books have a retained value. For an to be worthwhile the total cost to the student (purchase price minus retained value) must be less than the physical book price. Let's use a best case example. If the new textbook costs you $100 and you get $50 back for the book at the end of the semester your total cost to own that book is only $50. If the costs you $60 at the beginning of the semester and you can't sell it back at the end of the semester, you paid $10 more to own the and you have nothing to show for it in the end.
As a student you can probably see where the debate starts and ends. How much are your books worth? If you think your books won't have any buyback value then an is a good bet. In the best cases scenario listed above you are getting top dollar back for your book. How often does that happen? Different experiences will lead to different answers.
Other things to consider when buying an s is will you print your book? Does the book have a subscription limitation? Do you have access to your computer all the time? The answers to these questions will differ for each of you but you should know what you are getting and how to use it.
I have been working with s for over 3 years now and the truth is they do have a place in the market. Many students do find value in them and find them easy to use. Don't just write it off because it is different. Talk to others who have tried and maybe give it a try yourself. You may be surprised at how much you like it.
by: Dan Russell
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