By Eric Schwed `14, Staff Writer

It is by now a fact of life as undeniable as the movement of the sun or the changing of the seasons: the Newark Academy bookstore no longer sells books.

For the 2012-2013 school year, students were directed for the first time to buy their textbooks through MBS Direct, an online textbook seller. The Newark Academy bookstore is not the only bookstore that has abandoned what was its most obvious role; rather, it is an evolution that has been occurring throughout the country. Nationally, online retailers such as MBS Direct and Amazon, among many others, have replaced brick-and-mortar stores, as evidenced by recent news of Barnes and Noble’s plans to close locations. Although the disappearance of real bookstores is an unfortunate reality, the new online purchasing experience is not demonstrably better than the old system.

Entering this school year, there was great optimism about the success of the online bookstore. The textbooks could be ordered online for less money, and students and parents alike were happy to be able to order books from the comfort of their own homes.

From the beginning of the year, however, the flaws with the system began to appear. While the books were less expensive online than they had been at the Newark Academy bookstore in the past, shipping fees were substantial for many students. Students who did not get an earlier start had to scramble to get their textbooks before school started. Perhaps most problematic was the amount of time some textbooks took to ship. Many students found themselves without textbooks for multiple classes when the school year began, forcing teachers to alter lesson plans.

Students were not the only ones forced to adjust to the new system. While discussing the issue with Ms. Gilbert, the head of the bookstore, one parent also present in the store chimed in, saying that the new system placed a greater burden on parents. Whereas before students could go to the Newark Academy bookstore on their own and purchase their books, the current system forces parents to handle much more of the responsibility than before. Parents have to input credit card information and help their children get textbooks if they were not delivered on time.

Ms. Gilbert also raised a valid concern when she discussed the textbook delivery system after winter break. The spring semester reading list was not publicized, and besides that fact many students were simply not focused on purchasing textbooks over winter break. When classes resumed students were scrambling to find books. Classes such as IB English were forced to again adjust the class schedule to accommodate the large number of students without books. While textbooks purchased through the Newark Academy bookstore may have been more expensive, there is little doubt that they were also more accessible and convenient.

Why does the bookstore not sell textbooks anymore? Ms. Gilbert says that the bookstore still has the space, adding that she “missed” her books. If the books were to return, all parties could find a positive outcome. Students or parents who preferred to use other sources such as Amazon or MBS to purchase their textbooks would have the option to do so. Students who are frustrated with the new system or who preferred the convenience of the old could once again purchase their textbooks through the bookstore. As a community we can consider this moment a lesson that technology does not always equate to progress.