“Ten years ago, everyone bought paper- and hardback books. Many people now read on iPhones, Kindles, Nooks, plus a variety of other electronic devices, and many books are published exclusively as e-reads” (Dawson-Cook 21). As technology progresses, so does the way the world reads. No longer must enthusiastic bookworms pay retail for costly hardcovers or spend hours searching library shelves, only to find their desired book already checked out. Does this mean libraries are going to close? No. Many libraries are already offering eBooks for checkout (Wogan). Ebooks are simply giving libraries more options. Many newspapers and magazines are already available to be viewed on the screen of a computer or smartphone. Does this mean the only way to read is off a screen? Again, no. There will always be hardcopies of such publications. According to Albrecht, “Printed books will survive, and probably continue to sell fairly well” (28). However, as technology advances, it only makes sense that books do as well. Although books are traditionally published in print, eBooks are on the rise with popularity, convenience, and conventionalism: digital publishing should continue to gradually replace print.
Books in print format have been popular for centuries and are still in common use today. About 70% of books today are in print (Coker 188). However, this number will decrease due to the disadvantages of print compared to that of eBooks. For example, eBooks have an average cost of less than $9.99 while the average price of a new hardcover is $26 (Rich). For avid readers, this margin can allow more books to be purchased for a lower price. For students carrying an average $900 worth of textbooks to school each day, eTextbooks c...
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This source considers the issue of converting to digital books, specifically as it pertains to the effect that this change would have on the global environment. Although the research does recognize that there are disadvantages to not having a physical copy of a book and to abandoning certain platforms that do not transfer well to a digital form, overall, these researchers conclude that publishers should move towards digital products not only for the sake of cheaper long-run costs, but also for the good that going paperless can do for the environment. By displaying a series of graphs, as well as including multiple data sets, the text explains how e-books compare with printed texts; then, analysis of these facts is also included to show the reader the authors’ point.
In a recent study that was conducted the rate of individuals attending college has increased. This increase in students comes at a time when the country has been described as being in a recession. With job losses, companies closing and lack of job availability many people are returning to school. This return to the classroom comes at a cost. The rate of college tuition has risen in the last few years. In my home state of Kentucky, it appears both of the major Universities have asked to raise tuition every other year. When college cost rise so does the tools needed to attend college. One of the most expensive tools is books. Last year I enrolled my son in college when calculating the books for his classes, we soon learned that the cost of his books and the cost of my books were almost on month’s salary. My family soon learned if we were going to be able to not only attend college but have the necessary tools needed, we would have to consider alternatives to buying books. I did some research and soon discovered that technology had again come to the rescue. I found a company called Chegg that is an online book rental company. This company provides students with an alternative to buying books by renting them for a portion of the price. According to their article in CrunchBase named “Chegg edit” the company began at Iowa University in 2005 as a “hyper-local” classified directory. It was not until 2007 that the company introduced their textbook rental service. When looking at the company from an Information Systems standpoint I would say it ranks up there with the creative ideas of the century. You go online type in your order and it is processed within a matter of days. During the next portion of this paper we will loo...
This article, “Why Are Textbooks So Expensive?” by Henry Roediger reveals the truth of why textbooks are so pricey. He shows how textbooks prices are costly not because of inflation, corporate textbook companies, and frequent revisions, but because of the sale of used textbooks. The article is elaborating on why used textbooks are the real culprit as well. One main point that is highlighted is that used textbooks are resold for many years. The initial selling of the textbook is the only time the author will make a profit, but the bookstore will make a profit every time they resell a used book. It is essential for the author to raise the price to compensate for the loss of money when dealing with used textbooks.
Rainie, Lee, Kathryn Zickuhr, Kristen Purcell, and Mary Madden. "The Rise of E-reading." Pew Internet Libraries RSS. Pew Research Center, 5 Apr. 2012. Web. 20 May 2014.
In addition, textbooks are heavy to carry around and it takes longer to find a page. Likewise with digital textbooks they are compatible with tablets, smartphones, and laptops; it’s much easier to carry around and affordable price. However, some people may argue that digital textbooks can be a distraction for people because they would not bother read anymore. The author and poet Dana Gioia argues that electronics alternatives may be a bad influence that will lead society to not read anymore. Gioia complicates matters further when she writes, “While no single activity is responsible for the decline in reading, the cumulative presence and availability of electronic alternatives increasingly have drawn Americans away from reading” (161). I think Gioia is mistaken because she overlooks on electronics being a bad influence; but doesn’t see the benefits of electronics. To demonstrate, most of my textbooks are digital, which I can easily carry my tablet around where ever I go. Also, I save more money on digital textbooks and are simple to annotated the text. Journalist Ellen Lee interview a student from Liberty University, and he states that he prefers digital textbooks because he can tap his iPad, opens the digital copy and quickly open the page. Nevertheless, he also like digital textbooks because it has a feature that allows to highlight and mark the
With the advances in technologies there has been many bookstore close because we are able to download books and read them in our hand held devices. It is sad to see so many businesses close due to the advances in technologies. What I do like about being able to download books is that we no longer have to find somewhere to store the books because we can save them in our devices. Since we are also able to view movies on our electronic
"As Costs of Textbooks Rise, E-books Emerge as More Affordable Alternative." The Daily Illini. Brittany Gibson, n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.
If you had the choice between your phone and a book,you would probably without thinking grab your phone. But what if you knew that reading is crucial to a future. In “Reading for pleasure Is in Painful Decline” by Stephen L. Carter and “Twilight of the books” by Caleb Crain, both authors argue about the state of reading in The United States. Within both passages they give valid points as to why and how the state of reading are negatively affecting the country. Stephen L. Carter represents how the decline in reading for fun is the main concern, while on the other hand, Caleb Crain shows it’s technology and social media that actually are the main contributors.
Although writing has been around for thousands of years, the medium of books is a relatively recent phenomenon. In the mid 15th century, German Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press that made multiple, cheap copies of works that were easily available for the masses. With the help of other technological developments including the linotype in the mid-1880’s, the printing process became easier and faster and therefore books became cheaper and more available. Also in the mid-1880’s the development of public education increased the demand for books making them even more popular and ensuring them as a permanent form of media for the masses.
PRINTING PRESS AND STANDARDISATION In 1476, William Caxton introduced England to the printing press. This significant introduction to one of the world’s greatest technological innovations, at the time, helped to increase the spread of literacy and knowledge amongst the British people as the mass production of books became cheaper and more commonly available. According to Mastin (2011), the first book ever printed, although Caxton’s own interpretation was ‘The Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye’ in 1473. Furthermore, Mastin (2011) states that in the following 150 years after the introduction of printing, up to 20000 books were printed.
In conclusion, America provides many ways to help reduce the cost of college textbooks but society is still not satisfied with the outcome. The Open Textbook, Affordable Textbook Act, and book store rentals are wonderful programs, but has its disadvantages that hopefully would be resolved in the 2016 presidential elections. The statistics show that many students across the nation benefit from learning with quality of teaching, the amount of accessibility it provides without having to worry about paying off student loans. School administrations should consider about transferring to an act that would benefit both the school and the students, but also provide more equality to the publishers and students.
Along with these problems, some professors demand a specific edition of textbooks, which would cost hundreds of dollars more than the older version, and the only difference students can find is the physical appearance of the books. The California Student Public Interest Research Group published a study in 2004 that found new editions cost 58 percent more than older editions and newer editions are not that different from previous editions (PresslerE01). Therefore, expenses on text books must be reduced as it has a direct effect on students’ performance. In addition, it can be accessible anywhere at any time, so, students shouldn’t carry heavy textbooks all the time.
During the past few years, the publishing and reading world has been facing a veritable digital book onslaught. E-books have been outselling print books on Amazon since 2011 (Polanka, 7). While digital book sales skyrocketed, print book sales, especially those of mass marked paperbacks, diminished. Even the fact that e-books are not much cheaper than print books does not seem to interfere with the former’s popularity. It would seem that the age of print books is about to end, and quite soon.
Some years ago, with the arrival of digital technology, the process of reading has been changed to make it easier for everybody; therefore digital books are replacing the actual physical books. In spite of the fact that paper books and digital books are very similar in some ways, such as tittle pages, copyright page, covers, chapters or tables of contents; they present a visual and a sensory difference. In fact, they have a similar action that gives benefits but drawbacks at the same time. Paper books are tangible, accomplishment, easy to share; they have a unique aroma, and a sensitive side. But people should take in consideration that digital books are the better choice, because they are portable, convenient, cheap in price, and easy to manipulate, not to mention that anybody is able to have an bunch of them in only one file, either their phones or
Getting educated is one of the most important things in life when it comes to getting a good future. By developing good knowledge of schooling, it helps establish and maintain new information as needed throughout the real world. As books are one the essential tools in learning, eBooks are being used in a everyday lifestyle. Traveling to get away places from city life, helps give reading a comforting feel. Students that use print books are eventually going to use ebooks in the future. By educating students with ebooks, it is more efficient than carrying textbooks; ebooks is more convenient and reliable to read, write and store notes. Print books are being replaced by eBooks, it helps on keeping files together and it makes notes