surfisup1000:

KiwiNZ:

surfisup1000: I recently had a conversation with my library that they should send an email when books become overdue.   They said, it was not necessary because the checkout slip is all they need to provide. They do send an email 3 days before books become overdue, but with kids, it is easy to miss some (we might get 30 or 40 tiny books out at a time ). So, an email on the overdue date would be brilliant. Library says no though.

The second experience I had was with the local sports club regarding sports cancellations .  Their official method is that you must subscribe to a service called 'sportcheck' which costs 50c for every cancellation notice.  

I suggested they use a twitter account which is absolutely perfect for dissemination of small snippets of information to large numbers of people. 

Their response...

"some of our parents dont have internet and they use sport check"

But, does that mean they should not use twitter?  I did find out they have a facebook page which is good but I'd have thought twitter would be even better. 

Being in IT myself, it frustrates when organisations seem to ignore opportunities offered by services like twitter and email to improve service.

The examples you quoted are both organisations that have limited funding. 
Is NZ still in the stones ages regarding IT?  no, besides there were no computers in the stone age but I cannot speak for Fred and Barney they may well have had them. :P

Exactly, they have limited funding so should be using free services!The library told me it would be no cost to send the emails but they thought the slip was the only thing they needed to do and email is simply a courtesy if anything. 

And, a twitter account is free!!

These were just 2 recent things where I believe organisations could be using new tech  (emails new tech??) to improve their communications. 

The library certainly had no reason other than we don't have to . 

Maybe the sports club have a financial interest in sportcheck? Wouldn't have thought it pulls in a lot of cash though.