The tiny building with big job: Council optimistic small town Post Office and Library will re-open

The quaint, picturesque little building with the white weatherboards just off the New England Highway In Glencoe, NSW provides the community's library and post office and sometimes, also its cafe.

It's a big job for a little building and it has been out of work for the past couple of months, since it's contract expired.

According to Glen Innes Severn Council, however, Glencoe could soon see their library and Post Office returned after new owners have taken up residence.

The post office serviced the local village for their mail, banking and library needs, but those services were cut short after the couple who owned the building broke up, which forced locals to have to fetch their mail during reduced hours of 9am to 11am Monday to Friday.

On council's website, the Glencoe Library was listed as temporarily closed until further notice as of February 7, 2024 and all library services suspended.

According to council, all library resources had been removed from the premises while a new owner was sought.

But it looks as though there is light on the horizon with council confirming that they are in discussions with the new owners of the premises who have expressed interest in operating the post office and library also.

"Initial discussions with the new owners have been quite positive," said Director of Corporate and Community Services for Glen Innes Severn Council, Fiona Plesman.

"Council has every intention of providing a library outreach to the community of Glencoe."

Glen Innes Severn Public library manager Kerry Byrne said it was an unfortunate situation when the library was forced to close its doors recently after the contractor decided to move on, but it appears local residents will be back borrowing in no time.

"I've had a lovely chat with the husband-and-wife team who are looking to move in to the residence and from all accords it looks as though they may be possibly opening up the café there in the future also," she said.

"I'm extremely pleased someone new has come into the community and decided to take over the situation.

"Council as I understand will be in touch with them once they have settled themselves in and hopefully, we can make arrangements to re-open that lovely little library for the Glencoe community."

As far as the post office goes, auspost.com.au currently has the operating hours of 9am to 11am advertised from Monday to Friday.

Whether or not renewed operators at the site bring about a more permanent change is yet to be seen, but Mrs Byrne feels having a café, library and post office in Glencoe would be a joy for the community.

And the quaint little building just off the highway can get back to doing what it does best.