Save Money with E-Books
Local News
by
Brittany Scheck
last edited on
Sunday, August 29, 2010
A good education comes at a price. The average textbook now costs about $70. And the average college student takes between 12 and 15 credit hours a semester, which can lead to a good portion of a student's budget being spent on books.
The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology starts fall classes on Monday and managers at the college bookstore say they have seen a lot of business this week. The bookstore offers both new and used books at a discounted price.
Graham Garner, with the School of Mines, says he understands how important it is for students to have options to help them keep costs low when purchasing textbooks.
"Our faculty members are sensitive to the fact that students need to get the most bang for their buck, and so they are looking to make sure they get the education that they need and that they have the right books and materials, but where possible if there are other materials available whether they are at a lower cost or in some cases free than they are going to be looking for that as well," said Garner.
But these days not all students are buying their books at traditional bookstores like the one at the School of Mines.
Many buy their books online while others have gone completely digital by purchasing e-books.
E-books are digital textbooks, and although right now they only account for one percent of the higher education textbook market, that number doubled in the past year.
Students say price and convenience are major factors for books.
SDSM&T Freshman, Seth Kjewski, said, "First of all getting them on time and everything that really helps and then ordering them online was very convenient, in one or two days I was able to pick them up. It was very fast, very easy."
Garner says it is up to the professors to determine whether to use a hardback book or an e-book for their class.