US uni students a textbook case for why print works

They may live their lives through Facebook and Twitter but a survey from the Book Industry Study Group has revealed that college students prefer printed textbooks.

According to the Students Attitudes Toward Content in Higher Education survey, almost 75 per cent of respondents claimed that physical textbooks had a greater appeal. The study showed that 12 per cent of respondents, most who were male and or distance learners, cited e-texts as more appealing due to “lower cost, convenience and portability.”

The real challenge is to remain relevant to students and their needs, according to Kelly Gallagher, vice president of Publishing Services at Bowker. "As with every part of the publishing industry, the college textbook market is undergoing exponential change," she said.

"Trying to keep up with, let alone stay ahead of what students expect and need related to an enriched learning experience will continue to pay big dividends to those taking the time to understand this ever changing market."

Executive director of the Book Industry Study Group, Scott Lubeck, believes that the survey will “help everyone in the publishing business make sense of this changing market by providing hard data on the impact of habits and preferences.”