University considers future of campus directory

To print the phonebook or not to print the phonebook?

That is the question Linda Miller, chief information's officer of the Murray State Information Technologies department, has to answer.

"The situation we are in now is the contract of renewing the phonebooks is up, and we are deciding whether to renew the cont

ract or cancel the paperback versions all together," Miller said.

The directories Murray State puts out each year include information such as phone numbers and addresses for faculty, staff and students.

Some main reasons why Murray State may not reprint the phonebook next year depend on the amount of paper used to make them and the lack of student use.

"Each of these phonebooks is around 100 pages each, and we print 4,500 a year," Miller said. "That is a lot of paper. Also, students' phone habits have changed over the past few years. Students are no longer in an environment where they need a phonebook beside their phone because most things are online now."

Miller approached the Student Government Association with the idea of canceling the phonebooks.

The consensus was students in the residential colleges do not need paper copies of the phonebook, but student workers in various departments use them often. In fact, last year many residential colleges did not even pick up phonebooks for residents, Miller said.

Kelsey Chinberg, freshman from Louisville, Ky., said she does not regularly use the directory.

"I personally don't use the directory because most of the information is available online," Chinberg said. "However, I do know some students that use them especially when they are working."

Miller said although no immediate actions will take place this semester, an organized group will examine whether the change will go into effect for next year.

"We have talked to the Information Technology Advisory committee, which is a group of campus administrators including faculty and staff that looks at things affecting technology on campus," Miller said. "The same information is available online that is available in the phonebooks except for two things: fax numbers and department listings that are at this point not available online."

Having the phonebooks online will help with the accuracy of the information with easy, regular updating, which is not possible with paper copies.

"The numbers (in the paper copies) sometimes are no longer accurate or as accurate as we would like them to be because of the time they are printed," Miller said.

With some information available online to anyone, issues discussed are those of privacy and safety of the students on campus.

"I would not want my cell phone number available online," Chinberg said. "But I have no problem with my room number and address available online. Although I am sure some students would have a problem with it, it would not worry me."

Whatever decision administrators make, the information for those needing is available.

Said Miller: "What we need to realize and take into account for, is what we do now will affect what will happen a year from now."

Ashlee Cobb can be reached at ashlee.cobb@

murraystate.edu.