The Baker County Public Library has installed a new public phone at the Baker City branch, 2400 Resort St., where users can make local calls, and outbound-only long-distance calls up to 20 minutes, for free.

“It’s like a no-pay payphone,” Perry Stokes, director of the Baker County Library District, said in a press release. “But instead of dropping in coins or entering prepaid call plan numbers, you only have to pick up the handset and dial a number.”

The long-distance calls are free because the phone makes calls through the library’s internet connection rather than a landline.

“Previously, due to cost, we had to block long-distance calls on our courtesy phone,” Stokes added. “These days, that is a huge barrier to just making a simple call to a mobile phone with an out-of-area number, even though that phone owner is a local resident. But with VoIP over the internet, long-distance becomes a non-issue.

“Now we have a phone on-site that kids can use to check in with their parents when they’re here at the library or in the park, seniors can use to schedule bus rides from Community Connections, and anyone can use in an emergency or to stay in-touch with family and friends anywhere in the country,” Stokes said.

He said he’s also excited about the placement of the new phone — it’s outside, on the east side of Resort Street near the entrance to the library’s north parking lot.

“This provides enhanced privacy for callers, and less disruption to the library from loud talkers,” Stokes said.

The phone is under a blue hood, and the unit is made of industrial-grade stainless steel and fiberglass designed to protect against weather and vandalism.

The library district spent about $2,200 from its general fund to buy and install the phone. The district will spend about $300 per year for the subscription that routes calls through the internet system.

Upcoming projects

The library’s facilities plan includes a major roof repair at the Baker City branch, and an outdoor solar-powered charging station where the public can charge cellphones and other devices.

Stokes expects work on the roof to start within two to three weeks and be finished by fall, and the charging station has been ordered but there is no delivery date at this point.