Barnes & Noble looks to lock down e-book delivery for education with Nook Study

By Darren Murph

posted July 12th 2010 12:12PM

Timely, no? Just as the 2010 back-to-school season really gets rolling (and that dreaded Fall semester arrives to pester you to death), Barnes & Noble is looking to become your go-to place for eTextbooks, study tools and pretty much anything else in the related field. Up until now, there have been few all-encompassing eTextbook delivery method, and the options that are out there are generally poorly thought out, spartan or simply not marketed well. 'Course, B&N isn't coming right out and saying it, but why else would you create a comprehensive application suitable for Macs and PCs that not only puts digital textbooks into the hands of students for up to 40 percent less than conventional books, but also a full library of study aids, test prep guides, periodicals, and hundreds of thousands of trade and professional titles. Moreover, the app "provides students access to all of their materials -- eTextbooks, lecture notes, syllabi, slides, images, trade books and other course-related documents -- all in one place, so their digital library goes wherever they go." Oh, and did we mention that it also supports highlighting and notes, both of which are searchable? Yeah. Currently, Nook Study is being used in a smattering of universities, with an August rollout pegged for universal use. Lookout, used bookstore -- the end could be nigh.

Show full PR text

Barnes & Noble Introduces NOOKstudy – Online Reading and Study Platform

Free, Feature-Rich Application Works on a Student's PC or Mac®

NOOKstudy Features Built-in Highlighting, Note-taking and Other Customizable Tools for Students

Higher Education Students Can Save Up to 40% Buying eTextbooks

New York, New York – July 12, 2010 – Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the world's largest bookseller, today announced that it has developed an integrated software solution for the higher education market. Called NOOKstudy, the feature rich, free software application is the ultimate study tool, enabling students to manage all their digital content – eTextbooks, class materials, and notes – on the computing device they rely on most, their PC or Mac. NOOKstudy, developed with input from students and leading higher education institutions, delivers a superior digital reading experience and is the first digital textbook application that enhances the academic experience through unique and customizable study features.

NOOKstudy is a revolutionary, easy-to-use study tool that offers instant downloads of a large, versatile selection of eTextbooks and academic and trade titles. Among the innovative features developed with extensive feedback from college students, professors and administrators, NOOKstudy lets students view multiple books and sources at once and offers access to complementary content (e.g. toolsets, reference materials, etc.), as well as the unprecedented ability to highlight and take notes that are searchable and customizable. This comprehensive software solution also provides students access to all of their materials – eTextbooks, lecture notes, syllabi, slides, images, trade books and other course-related documents – all in one place, so their digital library goes wherever they go.

"NOOKstudy is a big win for college students: it will not only lighten their backpacks, but also help them save money and study more efficiently," said Tracey Weber, EVP, Textbooks and Digital Education, Barnes & Noble.com. "NOOKstudy is a revolutionary approach to learning that offers students access to the reading and organizational tools they need, across all content sources and formats, enabling them to study smarter, not harder."

Barnes & Noble is America's leading operator of college bookstores, with exclusive relationships to distribute educational materials, in all formats, across hundreds of educational institutions, including Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Chicago, University of Central Florida, the Kentucky Technical and Community College system and many more.

A longtime pioneer of the college bookselling industry, Barnes & Noble has a broad and deep reach into the higher education market. This success is based in large part on the company's strong relationships with many leading publishers of higher education content, including Pearson, Cengage Learning, McGraw-Hill, Springer and Elsevier Science & Technology Books.

NOOKstudy will be compatible with the company's entire catalog of eBooks and digital content, including relevant study aids, test prep guides, periodicals, and hundreds of thousands of trade and professional titles. NOOKstudy will also enable students to save money, as eTextbooks offer up to 40% savings off new textbooks.

NOOKstudy is currently being used in several private and public 2-year, 4-year and research institutions, including Pennsylvania State University, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Queensboro Community College, and Rochester Institute of Technology. The product will be rolled out for the 2010 fall semester and will be available for higher education students everywhere. Students and professors who want to be first to access NOOKstudy can register online now at www.NOOKstudy.com.