Though few students have caught on, they no longer need to lug around heavy backpacks filled with textbooks. Electronic textbooks (e-books) are now available for a number of classes. Despite a 30-50 percent savings in textbook cost, less than 1 percent of students are using this alternative textbook.

The bookstore offers many of its textbook titles in online versions through http://cafescribe.com. Currently, more than 70 books are available in this format. Any textbook that has an online option is being offered to the students.

“We definitely think electronic books and digital books is where the future is but we’re not quite there yet,” said Betsy Schneider, the campus store director.

Cafescribe.com is the website where students can download MyScribe. This program acts as a library for each student’s downloaded textbooks. Once the textbook downloads, students can read, take notes, share their notes, annotate their readings and search through the information, all through MyScribe. Students can download MyScribe and their textbooks on up to three different computers.

Students can either buy the access code at the bookstore or buy the textbook directly online.

One textbook offered in this format is the American politics textbook “Promise and Performance of American Democracy.” While the e-book costs less than $50, the bookstore charges $94.50 and $71 for the new and used versions of the textbook, respectively.

According to Schneider, cafescribe.com can also act as a communication platform for students and teachers and has many capabilities similar to Telesis.

To help familiarize students with MyScribe, Cafescribe.com features a free trial download of the books before students purchase them. The “Try Now, Buy Later” option works for seven days.

Within 14 days of purchasing the e-book online, students can return it for a refund and do not have to return or store their books at the end of the year.

“By buying the book online, it’s one less textbook that I have to carry around in my bag,” junior Brennan Keiser said.

Students and faculty are still getting used to the new e-book format.

“I think one of the disadvantages I hear from students is really getting used to reading on the screen. A lot of them still like to hold the book and take the book with them,” Schneider said.

Instead of buying an e-book, a lot of students chose to rent their textbooks this semester. This option has similar benefits of cost savings and environmental sustainability. Students can also save 25 percent by getting rental textbooks instead of buying them.

“If we can recycle books, the used book and even the rental book is also a sustainable option,” Schneider said.

The bookstore more visibly advertises rental books as a choice with very large, red signs on the walls and floor.

Many students claimed to have not known that there was even an option to purchase their textbook in an electronic format.

“At this point the bookstore is trying to be flexible and offer as many options as we can so students can choose,” Schneider said.