STERLING – Not long ago, I walked into my apartment complex in Sterling and saw a stack of phone books sitting by the mailboxes.

There must have been six or so bright-blue Sauk Valley directories neatly stacked on the ground. On top of them were smaller books that also had business information in them.

I ignored it and made my way up the stairs to my apartment. Later that day or the next, I picked up one of the 2013 directories and one of the smaller books. I figured they would be helpful in case I needed to look up someone's phone number after hours for work.