E-textbook app offers new alternative

Melissa Jung, Features Editor • January 21, 2012

Thursday, Jan. 19, Apple released a new app called iBooks which will allow people to buy textbooks on their iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad.

Lee Mitchell, head librarian, said the new app is exciting, but she hopes that not all books in the future will be virtual.

Mitchell said she think having both physical and e-books are important, and there are some advantages to one over the other.

“The e-textbooks are far easier for some students than regular textbooks because they don’t have to carry them back and forth,” Mitchell said.

Although e-textbooks may be more convenient in that respect, Mitchell said they also would have certain inconveniences like not being able to see page numbers and not necessarily being able to see an entire page at once on a small screen such as an iPhone or iPod touch.

“That’s what’s hard about them,” Mitchell said. “I think you need both or else you’re not going to be able to see the whole book.”

Elizabeth Doing, senior, said she would absolutely prefer having an electronic textbook over a physical textbook.

“I hate carrying around heavy books and I always seem to forget them,” Doing said. “With electronic books, there would be no fines and no need to carry around books all day that too many teachers never have us use anyway.”

Like Mitchell, Doing said she didn’t think having textbooks on an iPod touch or iPhone would be effective because the screen would be too small to read them. Doing said she would prefer to have them on another electronic device such as a tablet or laptop.

“The only downside to me would be having to buy the electronic device,” Doing said.

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About the Contributor

Melissa Jung, Features Editor and Webmaster

Melissa is a senior and this is her third year on staff. At MHS, she is also involved in Marquette Theatre Company as the historian, and she is a member of the St. Louis Cappies and the International Thespian Society. She is also a part of Key Club, National Honor Society, and French Honor Society. Outside of MHS, she is especially involved in her youth group and is still a Girl Scout. She has an awesome job working with kids and her hobbies include reading, writing, taking pictures, listening to music, and going to concerts -- she fangirls all the time. Melissa loves so much food, especially barbecue. She doesn't watch much TV, but when she does, it's marathons - either of Intervention, Boy Meets World, or Say Yes to the Dress. She has grown to love so much about newspaper, but the best thing is probably the friendships she has made through it. Melissa is still deciding what her future plans will be, but she wants to help people. She's cool she swears.