Digitization of college bookstores is becoming very common in the U.S. and West Texas A&M University is no exception. In many regards, books play a crucial role in the success journey of students. Sometimes, reading a book can make up for one’s inability to attend a lecture.

WT’s online bookstore is facilitated by a partnership with Barnes & Noble College, which includes timely shipping, multiple payment options and a large inventory of books that students, faculty and staff can choose from.

Tearaneé Lockhart is a junior broadcast journalism major. Lockhart believes convenience is the major factor to consider when purchasing books.

“Doing maybe a rapid or a two-day kind of shipping will help a lot compared to waiting for four or five days,” Lockhart said.

Students now have other alternatives to buying books that were previously sold at exorbitant prices. Chegg is an example of a medium through which students can access school materials at an affordable rate.

“For me, I really like to buy the books in person so I can have them instead of having to wait,” Lockhart said. “It also affects the bookstore because, when you have to order online, you can order somewhere cheaper, but it was more convenient when it was here to just get it.”

Some students find the digitization of the WT bookstore very time-constrained, since they must wait for the ordered books to be shipped. Students prefer walking into the bookstore, paying for the books, and having them immediately.

Peyton Oursbourn, an environmental science, geology emphasis major, is a student worker at the WT bookstore. Though Oursbourn empathized with the frustration new students face with the online bookstore, she gave some advantages the online bookstore offers.

“I think in the future, when students have become more aware that our books have transferred online, it will be more convenient to not have to wait in line to check to make sure that the bookstore has the book in stock,” Oursbourn said. “Now, you can see directly online whether the book is in stock or not.”

If you are having problems accessing books, visit the WT Bookstore in the Jack B. Kelley Student Center, or visit the online bookstore.