Telephone Directory Search Tips

How to specify your search

Name lookup is based on the surname (without forenames or initials). It is case-insensitive and ignores punctuation characters, so that (for example) O'Reilly can also be entered as oreilly or OReilly.

Compound (e.g. hyphenated) surnames are indexed under both the complete name and the individual components; you can specify the whole surname ("Name1-Name2") or a single component ("Name1" or "Name2") when searching. This also applies to non-hyphenated compound surnames, except that the full surname must be entered without any spaces (e.g. "Name1Name2" rather than "Name1 Name2").

If you are not sure of the exact spelling, you can search for similar-sounding names (using the "soundex" matching technique), either when making the initial search or after viewing initial search results. With soundex matching, the first letter of the name must be correct, but the remainder is matched by treating some letters as equivalent and ignoring others (based on what works for English text; effectiveness will vary).

It is also possible to look up who is on a particular extension (with the same limitations on coverage). Number lookup will handle 5-digit Cambridge University extension numbers and their 6-digit (3xxxxx or 7xxxxx) direct-dial equivalents, and many of the two-component extensions on subsidiary exchanges. Punctuation is ignored (so that 123-4567 and 1234567 are equivalent). In addition, if two numbers of 4 digits or less are adjacent, they are looked up both individually and combined, e.g. 123 4567 would be tried as the individual numbers and also as 1234567.

Scope of this directory

The phone number search uses information corresponding to the alphabetic list of named individuals in the printed directory (which is updated annually), and does not include other numbers such as those for particular functions or locations ("Head of xxx Department" or "xxx College computer room"). Additionally, each institution decides independently who should be included, and some do not (for example) include graduate students. Undergraduates will not normally be included.

The majority of the search results will show 5-digit University extension numbers. Many, but not all, Cambridge University extensions can be dialled directly from the public telephone network as normal Cambridge numbers by adding a digit before the extension (3 before 3xxxx extensions, 7 before 4xxxx or 6xxxx). Some institutions are on subsidiary exchanges (with numbers like 123-4567); those numbers cannot be called directly from outside the University network, though there may be alternative ways to call direct. A few directory entries are 6-digit Cambridge public network numbers. The Cambridge code is 01223 (or +44 1223 for international calls).

Where a number cannot be located here, the University switchboard attendants may be able to help - dial 100 from a University extension, or 337733 from the public telephone network. See also

• contact details for University Departments and other Institutions
• contact details for Colleges in the University of Cambridge