University Park

iHear Penn State offers cell-phone tour of University Park campus

University Park, Pa. -- For anyone curious about some of the most popular landmarks on Penn State's University Park campus, information is only a phone call away.

A self-guided tour, iHear Penn State, launched June 4 and is aimed primarily at cell-phone users strolling across campus. By dialing (814) 308-5020, callers are able to listen to 50-second recordings describing any of 12 campus buildings and other landmarks, ranging from Old Main and the Obelisk, to the Berkey Creamery and Beaver Stadium.

Unobtrusive signs mark each site, and printed cards listing the 12 locations are available in brochure racks at the Hintz Family Alumni Center, Nittany Lion Inn, HUB, Pattee and Paterno Libraries, Penn State Visitors Center, and Penn Stater Hotel Conference Center.

iHear Penn State was initiated by Vice President for University Relations Bill Mahon, who recognized the potential of a self-guided cell-phone tour as a convenient, low-cost way to deliver interesting facts about the University to a mass audience.

"Cell-phone tours have proven very popular at many museums, historical sites, and other public places," Mahon said. "We thought the time had come to introduce the concept at Penn State, as another way to communicate information about the University's accomplishments and mission, and some of the landmarks that seem to attract the most attention from visitors."

Listeners also may choose to hear the tour in Spanish by selecting the appropriate option after dialing the main number.

Mahon emphasized that iHear Penn State is not intended to replace group tours. Rather, it is designed for more casual visitors, who can follow their personal interests by dialing into as many stops as they like, in whatever order they prefer.

He noted that depending on popularity among users, additional stops may be added to the 12 on the inaugural tour, or additional tours may be built out from any of the existing stops to give visitors more information about particular locations. Other Penn State campuses also have expressed interest in launching cell-phone tours as part of the University's official cell-phone tour program.

A task force consisting of representatives from the Office of University Relations and a number of other University units planned and implemented the iHear Penn State inaugural tour and is charged with overseeing any expansion of the program, including development of a Web site at ihear.psu.edu.

A pdf version of the iHear Penn State rack card can be downloaded from the site.

Inquiries about the program can be sent to iHearPennState@psu.edu.
 

Last Updated November 18, 2010

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