Thump! That was the sound of the phone book when it landed on our kitchen counter many years ago. That sound is now gone, as the phone book doesn’t reach our kitchen any more.
The phone book, and its related yellow pages, was a staple of most households, stowed away in a cupboard or drawer within reach of the family phone. It was used repeatedly to find phone numbers and addresses, as well as businesses to contact when your toilet backed up, your car needed towed, or your window was broken. Getting the new phone book was a big deal. I recall my mother taking that handy plastic cover that was wrapped around our local phone book and putting it on the new one — at least until she received a new handy plastic cover. For many years, Jolene and I did the same, without the handy plastic cover. The Des Moines phone book was too big to have a cover of any sort. At least it used to be.
Some of you may recall the scene with Steve Martin in the 1979 movie, "The Jerk," when he showed his enthusiasm over having his name printed in the phone book. When the new book came out, finding your name was one of the first things people would do. And if the information was wrong, well, that’s just the way it was until the next one came out.
The listings in the yellow pages were so important that many companies purposefully had business names that started with “A” and often “AAA.” Why? Because they knew yellow page users started alphabetically and worked their way down. And when your furnace wasn’t working, most people called the first one on the list.
Phone books are not delivered in many areas today. You might be able to pick one up on a rack at a grocery store. The real question is, do you need one at all? For most people, that answer is no. Internet search engines replaced the need to “let your fingers do the walking” in the phone book. A co-worker told me he uses one to level his stationary bike, as it gets it to the perfect height. He is not alone.
A 2014 Vox.com story states that 70% of Americans won’t open a phonebook before the next edition arrives. That same story — from nine years ago — says 650,000 tons of phonebooks are distributed nationally. Meanwhile, phone books are still used by some folks, especially those without Internet access or who choose not to gaze at their mobile phone for hours on end.
The “thump” sound of the phone book hitting the kitchen counter is gone, but the need to find information on people and businesses is as strong as ever. We just let our fingers do the typing.
Have a wonderful Wednesday, and thanks for reading.
Shane Goodman
President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305
www.thedailyumbrella.com
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