Written By: Chaim Sciamma

For most classes at RCDS, students are required to purchase physical textbooks, despite the fact that assignments and resources are online. Physical textbooks are intended to provide a structured way to access class material, allowing for handwritten notes and highlighting; however, the cost and physical burden of using them have caused frustration among students.

Physical textbooks have their benefits. They don’t require any charging, internet access, or logins, and reduce digital distractions. Handwritten notes are better for memory and understanding, and physical diagrams or tables are easier to read than on a screen. Often, having a tangible book makes studying feel more focused and organized. Physical textbooks encourage a slower, more deliberate approach to studying, helping students reflect on the material and develop a deeper understanding as opposed to skimming on a screen. These benefits are recognised by Upper School Librarian Ms. DeVito, who notes, “The actual physical copies of textbooks are very popular; there are students asking for them all day long. To me, it seems like they like the feeling of having it in their hands.” Using physical textbooks is also practical for teachers, who can more easily monitor what students are doing in class. 

Despite their benefits, physical textbooks have serious drawbacks. Students spend hundreds of dollars on textbooks they use for only one year; the textbook used in the AP Chemistry class, for instance, must be bought new and costs $313. Finding specific information or quotes is burdensome, and having to carry heavy books around all day can be tiring. Studying on the go is impractical since the textbooks are so hefty. For many students, buying textbooks feels like more of a requirement than a necessity, since some aren’t actually used in class. Peter Valenton ‘27 shared his annoyance with the system, remarking, “If we’re going to use textbooks once a month, we might as well get a handout. I don’t want to carry a big book around every day just in case we might use it.”

Using digital editions of these textbooks could solve many of these problems. Digital copies are cheaper, more accessible, easier to carry, and searchable, allowing students to find information quickly without flipping through pages. They also included interactive features such as note-taking and page-marking tools that can make studying more practical. Having all your notes online on one device instead of across many textbooks would be particularly useful during March Assessments. By allowing digital options, especially for classes where the textbooks are rarely used, students could avoid unnecessary costs and strain while still accessing all the materials needed for the class.

If physical textbooks need to be used for classes, then a hand-me-down system would let students avoid having to spend so much on material every year. Buying brand-new textbooks only to use them minimally for one year can feel wasteful, but for AP classes, students simply aren’t given a choice. AP textbooks are rereleased every year with minor content tweaks, rendering older, cheaper textbooks obsolete. Once the year ends, the textbooks are out of date and can’t be practically handed down or resold. For non-AP classes, however, curricula usually stay the same year-to-year, making a system where books are handed down much more viable. 

On whether students should be buying textbooks every year, Mr. Mineo, Upper School Mathematics Teacher, shared, “I think there is value in having things laid out in a uniform manner […] when you’re reading in a textbook, you get relevant information you didn’t even know you were looking for. With that being said, do you need to purchase a textbook? I don’t think that’s the case, but you should have access to a textbook.” Some math classes in the Upper School use out-of-print textbooks, allowing students to instead borrow textbooks from the Math Office and return them when they’re done. Though these textbooks are older editions, they still contain the essential material needed to learn the course content.

Physical textbooks provide the benefits of reduced distractions and hands-on learning, but these advantages are outweighed by cost and inefficiency. Students spend hundreds of dollars on books they aren’t asked to use and are forced to purchase new editions when older ones are still viable. Digital editions, hand-me-down systems, or borrowing from the individual departments could address these issues while maintaining access to necessary materials. Updating how textbooks are used at our school could save students time, money, and effort while supporting effective learning.