There must be transparency about the total cost of education in order to give students an opportunity to make informed decisions about which courses and programs fit not only their career goals but also their budgets--and that includes the price of course materials. In fact, the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) of 2008 requires it. This…

Introduction: The e-book and its associated technology have emerged as a disruptive technology over the past ten years. The aim of this paper is to discuss some of the consequences of this development, based on the work of the e-books in Sweden research projects. Argument: To explain the impact of the e-book phenomenon we use Winston's theory of…

Today's electronic textbooks (e-texts) are technologically backward and over-priced. Yet publishers continue to press for contracts with colleges and universities that move toward the mandatory purchase by students of e-texts instead of printed books. The author lays out his vision for digital learning materials, explains the details of the…

While no one agrees exactly when it will happen, expectations are high that the digital textbook market will eventually elbow print textbooks off the shelves. When that day finally comes, what happens to the campus bookstore? It is hard to imagine a college or university without one, but in a world where most students are downloading their…

The librarian for the Stevens-Henager College, Murray, Utah campus was hired in the spring of 2008 and given the task of maintaining and improving the college's library and bookstore. It was soon discovered that many areas needed improvement (processes, outreach, policies, personnel, work-flow, etc.) Fortunately, she possessed skills from previous…

Increased competition from Internet merchants, coupled with the swelling popularity of electronic books and skyrocketing textbook prices, is forcing the nation's college stores to get creative, find new ways to boost revenues, and drive sales of books and other merchandise to students and faculty. To make up for lost revenue as a result of…

As parents and students struggle with increasing college costs, one issue receiving considerable attention over the past several years has been the rising price of textbooks. The question of whether a relationship exists between textbook pricing and the overall cost of college has attracted notice from consumer interest groups and, subsequently,…

Wayne State University bookstore uses a Hewlitt-Packard HP 300 computer to keep track of 35,000 text and trade book items, as well as 15,000 school and office supply items purchased from over 1,000 vendors each year. (MSE)

High freight costs stimulated the idea of renting a truck to pick up publisher textbook orders. Benefits, including lower cost per 100 pounds of freight and scheduling when there is room to receive cartons and crew to process the books, outweigh the problems encountered. (MLW)

Lack of space became a problem when the university bookstore moved into its new quarters; more space was needed to meet the demand for clothing and secretarial supplies. A student record store was purchased and electronic gear including stereos, tape recorders, electronic calculators, etc., were added to the inventory. (MLW)