For most, traditional textbooks are a necessary evil. They’re heavy, expensive, and often underused by teachers only requiring the book for a few key chapters.

As media literacy becomes increasingly important and the world of employment continues to favor the technologically savvy, it’s important to embrace the digitization of traditionally printed materials. Students are learning to process information differently with the help of pocket-sized phones and tablet-sized textbooks, and it only makes sense for their tech-minded brains, your wallet, and their academic improvement.

1. No Wait Delivery: You’ll never have to worry that a text won’t get to your dorm or classroom in time for the new school year. Traditional texts can take weeks to arrive in the mail, but digital books are available for immediate use. Don’t waste time at your mailbox, start learning today.
2. Environmentally Friendly: The future of our environment is frighteningly uncertain. Play your part in conserving natural resources by switching to paperless classroom tools.
3. Cost-Effective: Digital textbooks eliminate the extra costs of shipping and delivery, not to mention most online textbooks cost about 50-60% less than print versions. Save money and use the extra funds to invest in teachers, additional resources for students, or after-school programs.
4. Storage Space Reduced: If your classroom feels crammed, eliminate space with eBooks. Digital tables have the ability to hold thousands of worksheets, quizzes, chapters, and homework assignments without the risk of lost materials or overstuffed desks. Give your students more space to play or make room in your dorm for that extra futon, tv, and bean bag chair.
5. Interactive: Online textbooks give students the freedom to highlight, instantly search for the major terms or chapter titles, adjust font sizes, copy and paste, and hear audio translations of print Online interactivity saves readers time searching for specific information in hundreds and hundreds of pages of material. The digital aspect also prevents students from worrying that their note-taking and highlighting habits will ruin books for future students who prefer a clean page. Many eBooks also provide students with quizzes or practice questions based off of chapters they’ve just read. This allows students to take responsibility for their own learning without outside instruction.
6. On-the-Go Learning: Piggy-backing off of interactivity, tablets can be used anywhere and anytime, making a last-minute study session or quick homework assignment manageable from the classroom to the backseat of a moving car to the locker room in between soccer warm-ups. We’re all busy, and the tech of today helps us multitask, balance commitments, and create convenient solutions.

If you’re thinking of stocking up on traditional textbooks for the upcoming school year, think again. EBooks are more accessible and widespread than ever before, making them an affordable and convenient classroom standard.

While there are pros and cons to everything – and digital textbooks have no shortage of pitfalls – a digitized world only provides more options for students and teachers looking for alternatives to a mainstream model.

If these benefits are relevant to your academic needs, consider switching to the course materials of tomorrow and hitting download on next year’s books. The overworked library printer thanks you.