Local post office full of holiday packages

Next week, Dec. 17 to 23, is predicted to be the busiest mailing, shipping, and delivery week of the year for the United States Post Office, and since the Albany Post Office is already hand-ling an increased volume of packages, they need customers to continue to pick them up in a timely manner.

“We had 486 packages come through here yesterday,” said local postmaster Laura Gilbreath on Tuesday. “We need everyone to continue to come and pick them up as soon as they can.”

The Albany Post Office will maintain regular hours until Christmas Eve, and customers should mail Christmas items as soon as possible to insure delivery before the holiday. 

“International packages need to be sent by next week,” Galbreath said.

USPS retail ground to the contiguous U.S. should be shipped before Dec. 14 in order to arrive by Dec. 25, according to the postal service, while first class items to locations in the United States should arrive by Christmas if they are mailed by Dec. 20.

After Dec. 20, they should be sent Priority Mail Express.

The post office will be on a normal schedule through Saturday, Dec. 22, and the staff will post mail on Saturday morning as usual, although the window will not be open.

Amazon packages are delivered to the Albany post office on Sunday.

“If there are lockers available, we will put those packages in the lockers,” said Galbreath. “Or, if you know that your package has arrived in Albany, you can knock on the door while we are there, even if the office is not open, and we will try and help you.”

Gilbreath said that available lockers are used as much as possible for packages, but some deliveries are too large, and sometimes lockers are already in use, and not available.

“If customers are expecting packages on Saturday, or even this Sunday, and there’s not a locker key in their box, they can knock on the door and if we are there, someone will be able to help them,” said Gilbreath.

Typically the postal workers leave by 10:00 a.m. on Saturdays and are only there from 6:30 a.m. until 8:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings. 

The post office will be open from 8:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24.

“We will stay open during our normal lunch hour on Monday, Dec. 24,” said Galbreath, “then we will close for the holiday. The mail route will be run on Christmas Eve.”

The local post office will be closed for Christmas on Tuesday, Dec. 25, as will local banks, the county courthouse, and other government agencies.

The same type of schedule will be observed for New Year’s.  

Regular weekday hours at the Albany office are 8:00 to 11:30 a.m., and 12:30 to 4:00 p.m., with the window closed from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for lunch. The lobby area with boxes and lockers stays open around the clock.