Magnifying aid offered to read directory's small print

Those with poor eyesight may need a magnifying glass to search for numbers in the latest telephone directory issued by Yellow Pages.

The number of pages this year has been reduced from 205 white and 373 yellow pages to 191 and 292 respectively and the size of the directory has also shrunk.

Yellow Pages has offered free magnifying sheets to assist those who have difficulty reading the new directory.

Beryl Wilkinson, of Age Concern Whangarei, said a smaller font would affect everyone with poor vision - and not just the elderly.

"It's essential to have a decent size font and a strong black ink. Too much colour is not good either," she said.

Ms Wilkinson said Yellow Pages needed to consider a good font and a bigger size phone book that everyone could use easily.

The chairman of the Whangarei RSA Trust, Dixon Seeto, said the telephone directories of previous years already posed a dilemma for senior citizens and that any further reduction in font size would pose more problems.

"Senior citizens already have a whole range of impairments and to add to their dilemma can, in many cases, be quite serious.

"That means they will have to be dependent on others."

Mr Seeto said those with impairment issues should be treated the same as people with hearing difficulties.

Yellow Pages spokeswoman Katherine Cornish said the smaller version was meant to be more user-friendly, easier to use, handle and store. "Prior to making the changes, we ran focus groups and people told us that while they would have liked the font to remain its original size, they were happy to trade the slightly smaller font for a book that was easier to use and store, as it's now more likely to be kept by the phone and used more regularly."

She said Yellow Pages distributed the directory in Auckland first where 55 per cent of people found it easier to use, 40 per cent said it was no different and only 5 per cent found it difficult to read.

"For those who are finding the directory difficult to read, they can call us on 0800 803 803 and request a free magnifying sheet to assist them," she added.