erin!balser

A few days ago, Slate posted an interesting article about the history of the phone book. Titled “Why Won’t Phone Books Die?” it chronicled their inception, increasing success and current demise of this information service.

Given the various methods people have to communicate now beyond public land lines–cell phones and email, to name a few–let alone those who have private numbers or no land lines at all, the death of the phone book is a natural thing. Yet, according to Slate, the Yellow Pages Association is refusing to let it die. I know they are worried about their livelihood and their employees, but it’s hard to argue for the preservation of something that is little more than an information service. (Although I did enjoy the historical elements of the Slate article!)

It only makes sense that services that merely provide listings and information move to a digital an more interactive format than an alphabetical index as it’s only search method. Instead of fervently holding on to a dying medium, Yellow Pages should look to the future and capitalize on the technologies people are using to find information. They already have a website I go too far too often for information. Why not grow from there?

This is a tune I sing far too often, but I found this Slate piece really interesting, and it’s well worth a read. Check it out for yourself here.

Image by mdumlao98. Licensed via Creative Commons.