The Raymond Library has taken on a new role as a “village post office” after a partnership with the United States Post Office.
Residents may purchase stamps or packaging during the library’s regular hours. The library’s role could expand in the future as a place for residents to pick up and drop off packages.
“We’re trying to set up village post offices in a lot of communities, especially in those that are losing hours in some of their post offices,” said Danielle Harpin, a marketing representative from USPS.
Sherwood Raymond, president of the library’s board of directors, said the USPS approached the library with the idea. He said library director Joanne Westkamper and other board members favored the arrangement and negotiated with the USPS on what services they were able to provide.
Westkamper said the Oakdale Post Office on Route 163 closes for three hours a day and the village post office setup at the library will allow residents to take advantages of some postal services during this time. She said the library filled out a contract with the USPS and the materials arrived last week.
“It wasn’t very complicated,” she said. “It went back and forth a few times, but since we’re only going to be selling stamps it’s not like we had to be trained to do post office work.”
Raymond said he thought the partnership will also help to increase the number of people who use the library. He said the library went through a major renovation after flooding four years ago, including up-to-date computers and an improved reading room.
“Our base has increased considerably in the past couple of years,” he said.
The library's hours are noon to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays.
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