When was the last time you used a telephone book or the Yellow pages? Do you even know where you might find a phone book in your home? Many people don't know and a number of people don't use phone books any longer in this digital age. It seems that phone books have limited relevance and appeal for most people. Personally, I still use the phone book on occasion. I use it to find landscapers, automotive repair, firewood, etc. I know I could do that online but I actually find that I can do it faster with the phone book. But I'm still a little bit "old school" so I like to hold on to some traditions. Many communities are finding that phone books are a bit of a liability. I mean, they just appear on our doorsteps, we don't ask for them; and then most of them get thrown away and overwhelm landfills, not to mention that they waste resources and are not environmentally friendly. Well, I get that. But I still like having a phone book around. Maybe there can be a system set up whereby we request a phone book if we want one and those who don't won't be burdened with them. The other negative about phone books is that anyone can advertise in them and when you, say, look for a good plumber, you are never quite sure IF you are getting a good plumber. Online, thanks to sites and services like Yelp, Angie's List and other feedback sites, one can get the opinions of others thrown into the mix when choosing a service or a professional. In that regard, I try not to rely on blind selection. I try to use people who have been recommended by friends and family. But when I need to find someone or something that will fix or help or improve my life, I will try a phone book first. I seriously doubt that by the time she's a teenager, my three month old granddaughter will even know what a telephone book is. (Remember how quickly public phones and phone booths disappeared?) So maybe this entire discussion of the relevance of phone books is academic. But phone books are like a senile pet dog...they may not always get it right or know what they're doing, but they're kind of nice to have around.
