Although the lower price of digital books might appeal to students, the complete switch from physical copy to e-book format has yet to be accepted by the current generation of college students.

U. Texas-Arlington Bookstore director, Bill Coulter said UTA offers e-books on its website at a lower price than a physical book. Digital textbooks also eliminate the cost of freight and labor required for hard-cover textbook availability.

“Instead of selling a $200 book, maybe it will be $75,” Coulter said.

Communication studies senior Chelsea Lewis bought a digital technical writing textbook for $40 instead of the physical copy option for $75.

Coulter said UTA students don’t seem to be interested in digital copies. He attributes the reluctance to accept digital texts to the current college generation’s expectation to own a physical textbook for each class.

Coulter said “there is an age group out there that will come up and that is when total acceptance will come.”

“Texas is talking about having digital books solely for K-12. By the time those kids come to college written books will take second place,” Coulter said.

Geology sophomore Tyler Wright said he prefers physical books to e-books.

“You can’t take it everywhere. What is your laptops fails?” Wright said.

Follett, the owner of UTA’s Bookstore and other campus bookstores, created a website specifically for digital book access.

CaféScribe allows students to purchase e-books for up to 50 percent off the cost of physical books. The site also encourages discussions between students who purchased the same textbook.

“The whole concept is like a Facebook thing. We will take this one book UTA has and if you got it on [the site], everybody who purchased that book can discuss the book on CaféScribe,” Coulter said.

Although some students, like Wright, are reluctant to convert from physical texts to e-books, CaféScribe offers students eager to purchase books in digital form an option.