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What it was like working as a 411 operator before the internet

Jul 30, 2024
Lilith from Ventura, California, recalls what it was like working as an information operator in a time before the internet.
Lilith said she remembers sitting in a cubicle with headphones on and phone books in front of her as she waited for the calls to roll in.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

How voters in a Texas news desert get their information

Researchers have labeled 204 counties in America as "news deserts" — places that lack access to credible, reliable news sources. That includes Val Verde County, Texas.
Del Rio is county seat of Val Verde County, Texas — one of more than 200 counties in the U.S. classified as a "news desert."
David Brancaccio/Marketplace

Look it up: How is a 250-year-old encyclopedia company adapting to the digital age?

Dec 13, 2018
Encyclopedia Britannica has a history of being pretty revolutionary.
Encyclopedia Britannica on the shelf at the New York Public Library in 2012.
Mario Tama/Getty Images