PH Directories & Phonebooks

Many organizations maintain online PH directories and "phonebooks" that you can use to obtain information about people in those organizations. For example, you can find information about people at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, by using your browser to access a gopher server at

gopher://ns.utcc.utk.edu:105/2.

Clicking on this link brings up a forms interface that allows us to type in a name that the server will attempt to find in its database. Suppose we use this server to search on the keyword "fulmer":

After we submit the inquiry (by pressing "Return" or "Enter"), the search returns the following information: 

CSO Search Results

alias: kfulmer 

            name: Fulmer, Kendra Lynne
           phone: (423) 475-7070
         address: 1926 Walnut Avenue
                : Jefferson City, TN 37760
      curriculum: Broadcasting
           class: Junior

alias: pfulmer 

            name: Fulmer, Phillip E
           title: Head Coach
      department: Football
  office_address: 228 Neyland-Thompson Sports,
                : Knoxville, TN 37996
    office_phone: (423) 974-1240

alias: sfulmer 

            name: Alexander, Shannon Fulmer
           phone: (423) 573-2861
         address: 2231 Spence Pl
                : Knoxville, TN 37920
      curriculum: Wildlife & Fisheries
           class: Senior

Thus, this PH database appears to have entries for 3 people with the last name "Fulmer": two students, and the head coach of the football team.

Now try some information searches for yourself. (But be sure to return to this page to continue the Tutorial!) Here is a gopher site with a good compilation of links to PH directories and phonebooks for universities and other organizations all over the world. Try this exercise to get started: is there anyone with the last name of "Mann" at the United States Department of Education; how about someone named C. Dundee at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research in Australia?

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