In this age of technology reading a magazine or newspaper is just as easy as waking up your computer or tablet and now that same ease of use can be applied to textbooks. Textbooks are being made available in a digital format as well as print and Fresno City College students are taking advantage of this new medium.

“I prefer to use a digital textbook because it means that all I need to carry around is my laptop and the apps make it simple to highlight sentences and leave bookmarks,” said Fresno City College student Angelica Leilani.

However, other students prefer using a printed rather than digital textbook.

“The printed version is so much simpler than the digital version. Some of my teachers require a digital textbook because they prefer that method. But I would rather just carry around the book than have to get onto a computer or tablet every time I need to study,” said FCC student Nikki Diaz.

The switch to digital may not always be the best choice financially though.

According to Avery Johnson, a Barnes and Noble employee in Fresno, digital textbooks can be just as costly as printed books, especially if the cost of buying a laptop or tablet is added.

The Nook sold at Barnes and Noble costs $199 and that may be a big chunk of money for a college student who is already having to pay for tuition and parking.

“The price typically varies depending on the book, so sometimes the digital version may be cheaper and sometimes it is the same,” said Johnson. “Buying a book used is usually always cheaper than the digital version and a lower price is what most people are interested in when coming in to buy a textbook.”

Another thing to consider is that it is nearly impossible to resell a digital textbook which is a common practice for most college students at the end of the semester. So far, no option has been made to transfer ownership of digital textbooks from one person to another. So, reselling the book to mitigate the cost is not really an option.

For now, most find that the best way to find cheap books is online shopping. Using online websites such as the Barnes and Noble website or Amazon, students are finding new and used textbooks for as much as half off the cost of the original version sold in the FCC bookstore.

For many students, price is the their biggest concern and is the main factor when deciding between digital and print.

“Digital textbooks are great,” said Leilani, “but if I can find a printed textbook that is cheaper I would use that instead.”