Video by Kerri McCune/CNS-TV
COLLEGE PARK — As eBooks rise in popularity, college campuses are catching onto the trend.
At the University of Maryland, many professors are suggesting students purchase online versions of textbooks in order to cut costs and decrease the burden of carrying their books.
The University Book Center, a Barnes and Noble affiliate located in the Stamp Student Union, sells digital books compatible with the Nook Study, a new software program that allows students to download text directly to their computer.
Barnes and Noble reported that sales of the Nook rose more than 140% during the second quarter of 2011. Mike Gore, University Book Center manager, says students have been very receptive to the new technology. However, many students remain hesitant to making the switch to digital.
BookHolders, an off-campus book store that sells and re-sells textbooks, is also adapting to the new technology. Store manager, Brian Springfield, says they are now selling a lot of books that come with a supplemental online version of the text.