techtip: EMBRACE THE E-BOOK

EMBRACE THE E-BOOK

In college we have textbooks, workbooks, and notebooks. While textbook publishers continue to make traditional books available, the same content is increasingly available in digital formats. In most courses today, students are required to access some course material digitally. For students who are used to buying or renting printed books from the college bookstore, this can be confusing.

image
© W2 Photography/Corbis

The Problem

You have heard about electronic books that are alternatives to traditional textbooks, but you aren’t sure what device to buy to read e-books. You really want to know the advantages and disadvantages that an e-book has when compared to a traditional book.

The Fix

Explore different platforms that deliver e-book content, and discover how reading with a digital reader differs from (and can even be better than) reading traditional books.

How to Do It

Go to the library. Many libraries have tablets of different kinds. Ask a librarian to download a book in a variety of formats for you, so you can try different tablets out before choosing one to buy.

Try the different media available. E-books give you access to the pages of the text, as well as video, audio, and Web content.

PROS OF E-BOOKS

  • Digital reading devices are eminently portable and can hold thousands of books.
  • E-books save trees, can be bought without shipping costs, and have a low carbon footprint.
  • E-readers let you buy books online from anywhere with Web access, and you can start reading within minutes.
  • You can type notes in an e-book as well as highlight passages and copy and paste sections.
  • You can print out pages simply by hooking the device up to your printer.
  • You can access many e-books for free from the public library; you can even use the British Library’s Online Gallery to peruse some of the world’s oldest and rarest books.
  • Some e-books come with bonus audio, video, or animation features.
  • Many digital reading devices accept audio books and can read to you aloud.
  • The backlit screen means that you can read in bed with the light off, without disturbing anyone.
  • You can adjust the size of the text, making it easier to read.
  • Some e-readers have a built-in dictionary. Others link to reference Web sites like Google or Wikipedia when a Wi-Fi or 3G connection is available.
  • E-books are searchable and even sharable.

CONS OF E-BOOKS

  • Digital reading devices are expensive, can break if you drop them, and are more likely to be stolen than books.
  • Looking at a screen can cause some eye fatigue.
  • It’s harder to flip through pages of an e-book than a printed book.
  • If you have only limited or temporary access to e-books for your college courses, your access will expire after the academic term. But you can keep the print textbooks you buy and build your own library.

GOOD TO KNOW

Some electronic readers are no-frills, basic models designed to replicate the experience of reading a paper book. Others offer Web browsers, video, music, and thousands of free and for-purchase apps. Because most are Web-enabled, you can use them for other things like listening to music or audio books, checking e-mail, creating presentations, and writing papers. This increased functionality might be distracting but can also make you more productive.

EXTRA STYLE POINTS: Price your textbooks in both the print and digital formats. Factoring in the cost of the e-reader, which format is cheaper?
[Leave] [Close]