Makiah Osborne
Chinook Writer
Casper College is currently considering whether a physical bookstore will remain on campus or if students will transition to virtual textbooks henceforth. Considering textbook as a core component to student learning, decisions regarding their accessibility hold impact.
Amanda Fisher, manager of the bookstore, said, “We have been a bookstore, and we have been at the college for so long.” She went on to say, “We’re now seeing that the new generation, they are so used to virtual learning that they don’t want books.”
Fisher said that COVID affected the learning preferences of younger generations. She said students select virtual textbooks more commonly over hardcover copies.
Fisher stated, “So now, we’re slowly transitioning to doing both (virtual and hard copy books) here.”
According to the fall 2021 Digital Learning Pulse Survey: The Digital Transformation of the Community College, “Community college administrators are even more positive about the future use of digital materials, with 84% saying that they ‘Somewhat agree’ or ‘Strongly agree’ that they will include more digital materials and digital resources in their future course offerings” (Seaman, 2023).
An uprise in virtual textbooks began during the COVID pandemic, aiding students with virtual learning from home. Global necessity turned into a common practice. As times and learning methods change, institutions continue to evolve as well.
At CC, the concept of a virtual store has taken root, following the example of the University of Wyoming. Fisher said that UW shifted its bookstore process in response to an increase in virtual textbooks, supplying physical textbooks only from the requests of individual professors. Fisher said that the store on campus acts as a student merchandise shop that also aids textbook inquiries. Otherwise, students primarily access textbooks through Follett Access, the common textbook platform between both institutions.
Fisher said, “We still have a lot of professors that are old-school, and they like to have their students have (physical) books. And we have some professors that are totally on board. They’re ready to make the transition. They’re ready to do all the things.”
Fisher said the college as a whole is not ready to transition to a strictly virtual platform.
Eric Atkins, a world languages instructor that is also on the bookstore committee, spoke on the topic.
In an email, he said, “There are many different disciplines on campus whose instructors and students have diverse needs when it comes to course materials. A one-size-fits-all approach is not realistic, so finding the best way that the bookstore can meet the needs of educators and learners is important. Digital materials may work for various classes and programs, but allowing for physical books, or making exceptions, when requested, seems reasonable.
Makiah Osborne/Chinook
Kyndel Kisner, a general studies major at Casper College, is pictured shopping at the campus bookstore, located on the first floor of the Union building.
As the world evolves into a digital age, CC aims for student success beyond the classroom. This means contemplating whether learning is better achieved through traditional methods (hardcover textbooks), or through virtual platforms such as Follett Access. Some would say, the issue is a matter of institutional evolution versus quality preservation.
Tannis Lovercheck-Saunders, history and gender and women’s studies instructor, said, “The digital world is great because it gets so many more resources available. However, I still think there’s a place for the hard copies because people need to realize that if you just exist in a digital world, you’re missing something.”
Differing opinions claim otherwise, considering virtual learning as a more immersive approach.
Fisher said, “I think virtual learning is awesome because there’s so much more… it’s more interactive.”
Coinciding with this issue, textbook prices deserve evaluation.
Ethan Fife, communication instructor and member of faculty senate, stated, “I feel like hard copy versus digital is a very qualitative answer. Some kids like it, (and) some kids don’t. But you know what every student likes? Cheap books.”
An additional factor is the financial sustainability of hardcover versus virtual textbooks.
Fife said, “What I see is generally, a lot of digital books do not actually give a significantly better price. That was always the sell of a digital book – that they were going to be significantly cheaper, but it turns out, when you are in a market that isn’t actually a market, that every student has to buy the book, there’s no actual incentive to reduce the price just because you converted it into a PDF.”
Textbooks remain a constant necessity for students, though the conversation of the most viable option continues to cycle. Differing opinions, cultural shifts, and financial roadblocks lie at the center of an unanswered problem.
Fisher said, “What is happening is some students are just not buying books because it’s too expensive and they can’t afford it, so their grades are dropped.”
In the process of compiling concerns and rising questions, the future state of the bookstore remains in question.
“It is my understanding that a physical bookstore will remain on campus, though the size, form it takes, and content may be different,” Atkins said.
