Cordless Telephones: Extending Reference Service
| Pages | 21-22 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/eb047477 |
| Published date | 01 January 1983 |
| Date | 01 January 1983 |
| Author | Brian Alley |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Library & information science |
Cordless Telephones:
Extending Reference Service
BRIAN ALLEY
Not so many years ago libraries with busy tele-
phone reference services installed telephone jacks at
strategic points near the card catalog and close to
major indexes. Librarians on reference duty were sup-
plied with small, lightweight head sets which they
took with them when a telephone question neces-
sitated a check of the card catalog or some consulta-
tion involving an index or telephone directory.
The concept designed to save steps for the refer-
ence librarian was a noble one. Carrying indexes,
card trays, and telephone directories to the nearest
phone is time consuming. So is the alternative of
making extensive notes to relay information to the
caller. The headset with the installation of multiple
jacks promised to be a suitable solution.
And it was in some libraries. In others, however,
librarians complained about the nuisance of wearing
the headsets. Furthermore, no matter how many
jacks had been installed they were never convenient
enough. Besides they were expensive and often inop-
erative due to vandalism.
FCC Rules
Change
and
Cordless Phones
In the late seventies the rules governing the sale
and ownership of telephones and telephone equip-
ment changed substantially and favored personal
ownership. As these rules liberalized, private tele-
phone sales increased sharply and the variety of
equipment offered to the public grew to include a
tremendous number of specialty items. An individual
purchasing a piece of telephone equipment had only
to register the equipment with the phone company
and be prepared to assume the responsibility for
maintenance.
One of the popular "new" telephones offered by
commercial firms turned out to be the cordless
telephone. It gained instant popularity especially
around swimming pools and in areas of the home
where a regular telephone was unavailable or incon-
venient. In the commercial sector construction work-
ers,
airport personnel, and just about anybody
working in an area physically removed from tele-
phones yet needing access to one got
a
cordless phone.
The cordless telephone (handset) is nothing more
than a radio interface between the user and a base
unit. Depending upon the particular make and model
the handset will have a useful range of from 50 to
1,000 feet. The base unit contains a charging device
to keep the battery in the handset operative. It also
includes a cord which can be plugged into the tele-
phone line along with a power cord (110 volt) to
power the battery charger.
The cordless phone (handset and base station
combination) can include an intercom and buzzer,
pushbutton dialing, and a memory to allow auto-
matic redialing of the last call dialed. Prices run from
$100 for a model with a 50-foot range to several
hundreds of dollars for long-range models with lots
of convenience features.
Sangamon's Library
Application
At Sangamon State University in Springfield,
Illinois, librarians needed the ability to handle tele-
phone reference questions by taking the phone along
on their trips to the reference stacks, the card cata-
log, and index tables. The cordless phone seemed to
be the answer, but there were so many models,
special features, and prices that it was decided to
invite vendors into the library to prove the products
under "battlefield" conditions. These tests revealed
a number of problems peculiar to cordless phones.
For one thing because the units use radio fre-
quencies they are subject to radio interference. The
presence of metal reinforcing or electric wiring in
walls and ceilings may limit the use of the phone to
locations where there are no obstructions between
the handset and the base station. The only way to be
certain that a given unit will perform adequately is
after a thorough, on-site test. That may be when you
find that one manufacturer's 700-foot range is really
closer to 200.
Therefore, before you prepare a purchase requisi-
tion, invite a number of telephone suppliers in for
demonstrations. Ask each to complete the same
series of tests devised to accommodate local problems
and conditions. Keep records of these results along
with all specifications and prices. Only when you are
satisfied with the test results on a particular brand
and model are you ready to make the purchase.
Alley is University Librarian at Sangamon State
University and Co-Editor of
Technicalities.
SUMMER 1983 21
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