MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2005
NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN 3A
BUSINESS
Digital textbooks offer savings
BY JOHN JORDAN
jjordan@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
Three classes this semester have started using online versions of textbooks as a cheaper alternative to traditional textbooks. Students have mixed reactions about the online versions' value.
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Principles of Macroeconomics, Principles of Microeconomics and Principles of Physical Geography now use a digital textbook, although students can still buy the regular textbook. Students purchase an online registration number and then are able to download the digital version onto their computer.
Bill Madl, Jayhawk Bookstore
textbook manager, said not purchasing the textbook saves about one-third of textbook costs. Jayhawk Bookstore, 1420 Crescent Road, sells a bundle with the textbook and registration for the online version for macro- and microeconomics for $96, while the online version costs $68 by itself
For geography, the prices are $105 for the physical book and $52 for the online version.
Madl said some students who purchased the online version came back to buy the physical textbook. Students like the flexibility of having the traditional book, Madl said. Students can flip through the book, make notes, highlight and don't need to be at a computer to read the
text.
Neal Becker, assistant professor of economics, is using the online text for the first time for his macroeconomics class. He said the online text can be inconvenient because it has to be downloaded to a computer.
Becker said publishers can use the online versions as a barrier to the used textbook market, because students can't sell back the digital book. The publisher can make students buy new registration numbers each semester.
An advantage is the registration number also gives student access to online practice exercises and homework assignments, which are automatically graded, Becker said.
Students get immediate feedback on practice problems, and teaching assistants don't need to grade the online assignments, Becker said.
"It gives us a lot of flexibility." Becker said.
Madl said publishers would produce more online versions as technology improves. But students have mixed opinions about the online versions' usefulness.
Steven Griswold, Forsyth, Ill., freshman, bought the textbook along with the online version. He said he wanted the book because he didn't have his own computer. Even though buying the text was more costly, he said having the actual book
was worth it.
was worth it. Ryan Kusmin, Leawood junior, bought both the print version and the online registration for his microeconomics class.
Kusmin said he bought his textbook at www.hal.com, an online bookstore, but he had to buy the online registration later. He said he spent $10 more than if he had purchased the bundle.
Cooper Martin. Olathe senior, bought only the online version. He said the price was the reason he didn't buy the book.
"The cheapest way to do it is all online," Martin said. "Buying the book would be a waste of money."
— Edited by Katie Lohrenz
Local bookstores lure students Professors choose independent stores for class books
Todd Wilkins, Lawrence sophomore and Raven Bookstore employee, sorts a books on a shelf yesterday afternoon. Raven, 8 E.7th St., sells books of numerous genres, but emphasizes mysteries and works about regional history.
BY ALY BARLAND
abarland@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
Rylan Howe/KANSAN
A handful of professors are encouraging their students to purchase books from independent bookstores instead of larger, more well-known textbook distributors.
Instead of shopping at the KU Bookstores in the Kansas Union or another store that relies primarily on textbook sales, students are checking in to smaller shops in order to find their books.
Jon Swindell, professor of design, ordered books through Raven Bookstore, 8 E. 7th St. He said he enjoyed sending his students to the more intimate environment Raven provided.
"It's one way for me to get my students into an environment that I think is more about artful conversations and gets them into an environment with real literature
"It does bring students downtown who would only come to get a pizza or a beer."
Pat Kehdes
Co-owner of Raven Bookstore
as opposed to sending them to a more commercial venue," Swindell said.
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"They should overorder if they do local bookstores because they don't have the same ability to reorder as quickly," Mueting said.
Sarah Mueting, Lenexa junior, is taking one of Lecturer Chris White's Latin American history classes this semester. White used Raven to order some of his books. Mueting said she agreed with the use of local bookstores, but said there were some downsides. Some of the books she needed were unavailable, however, because the store sold out
Also challenging is selling books back at the end of the semester. Because the larger bookstores don't stock the books, they don't purchase them back at the end of the year. The independent bookstores don't typically buy books back either.
Pat Kehdes, co-owner of Raven, said she appreciated professors helping students understand it made a difference where their money went.
Keendes also noted that students who venture downtown to buy books would see what else Lawrence's downtown had to offer.
"It does bring students downtown who would only come to get a pizza or a beer." Kehdes said.
Local bookstores also appreciated the extra business generated because students provide a sale they may otherwise not have, Kehdes said.
snannon Jones, manager of The Dusty Bookshelf, 708 Massachusetts St., said the store did not order books specifically for professors. Often though, professors often refer students to The Dusty Bookshelf in order to find texts, especially for western civilization or English courses, Jones said. The Dusty Bookshelf is primarily a used bookstore, and Jones thought there were enough venues offering textbooks already.
"The market is pretty saturated for that. It's a space issue. We already have books overflowing onto the floor," Jones said.
— Edited by Jonathan Kealing
ON THE RECORD
Three 21-year-old KU students reported an assault on a 54-year-old between 11 p.m. Aug. 21 and midnight Aug. 22 on the 900 block of Emery Road.
- A 41-year-old KU student reported a $35 black wallet, $20 in cash and a drivers license worth $10 stolen sometime between 11 p.m. Aug. 23 and 1 a.m. Aug. 24 in Anschutz Library.
CLARIFICATION
An article in Friday's University Daily Kansan needs clarification. The article, "Credit card hoax ended," described the action of two employees of Elite Marketing Group as a hoax and fraud. The employees, who gave coupons for free pizza to students in exchange for their Social Security number, mother's maiden name, address and phone number, were legitimately hired by Commerce Bank, N.E. The two employees were later fired for not complying with the bank's set regulations.
NATION 14-year-old gives birth to daughter
LINCOLN, Neb. — A 14-year-old girl whose 22-year-old husband is charged with sexually assaulting a minor has given birth to their daughter, and the man said he plans to plead not guilty in the case.
The girl became pregnant when she was 13, and her mother gave permission in May for Matthew Koso to take her daughter to Kansas to marry.
Nebraska requires people to be at least 17 before they can marry. But Kansas does not have a minimum age as long as both parents or guardians approve or the marriage is approved by a judge, said a spokesman for Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline.
- The Associated Press
THIS WEEK ON CAMPUS
KU Mock Trial will be meeting for the first time Thursday, September 1 at 7pm in Room 203 of Green Hall, the law school building. We will be having try-out sign ups.
For more information check our our website at www.ku.edu/~kumtrial/. You can also email kansasmocktrial@hotmail.com
PAID FOR BY KU
funded by:
STUDENT
SENATE
THE COMMUNITY PARTY VOLUNTEE
The Collegiate Readership Program
August 29,2005
Lawrence Journal - World The Kansas City Star USA TODAY The New York Times
FREE SERVICE FOR KU STUDENTS BY KU STUDENTS
Visit www.hawzo.com for more details.
lend & borrow books online
Kansas Connections will be gathering at the Hawks Nest in the Kansas Union @ 7:00 Thursday September 1st before going in for bowling at the Jaybowl. Please bring money. Visit our website at www.ku.edu/~connect for more information.
Kansas CONNECTIONS
Why buy when you can borrow all your books?
> Spend as low as $20 on a $100 value book
> Earn as much as $100 by lending 5 books
Queers & Allies, First Meeting of the Year 7:30PM August 30th Big 12 Room, Kansas Union
Interested in student senate elections? Don't plan on running but want to be involved?
Join the elections commission for the spring student senate elections!
Contact Jason Boots by email or phone at jboots@ku.edu or (785) 864-1265.