Distribution of Phone Directories Delayed

If you want to reach out and touch someone, you'd better have the number, because this year's Harvard Student Telephone Directory is about two weeks late in its release.

Although the Harvard University Telephone Directory Request Line still informs callers that "Harvard directories will be available in the beginning of November," officials said yesterday that the books would not arrive until later this month.

The directories will arrive on Thursday, and students will receive them on either Friday or Monday, according to Joanne Silva, manager of billing and administration at University Information Systems.

The phone books are usually here shortly after Veterans' Day, Silva said. However, "process changes" in the way the University exchanges information with the publisher caused the delay this year, she said.

Students said the delay has inconvenienced them.

Anup A. Kubal '01 experienced some trouble after he ordered a private telephone line.

"Most of my calls are coming on the original phone line that I got," Kubal said.

Kubal's new number is not available through the University's ph system, the online directory or the Harvard Student Information Line at 3-1000.

Silva said students will receive unexpected bonuses with their delayed phone books. For the first time, each student will receive an individual copy of the faculty and staff directory in addition to an individual copy of the student directory.

"In past years, we had provided directories--only one per suite," Silva said. "[This way,] students across campus will have better access."

Silva said in the spring, the deans had considered having only one directory, which would contain both student and staff information.

But in the end, they decided one large book would be "unwieldy," she said.

They thought continuing to have two books would be a better idea," Silva said. "We did a cost analysis to make sure that it was something workable. The costs are minimal."