Hartley, Iowa — A group from Harvard Law School is in Hartley today to talk about the United States Postal Service and local post offices.
The small team from Harvard says that some people in northwest Iowa towns are worried about losing their local post office or are worried about what might happen to it in the future. They say some have been impacted by post office closures or service reductions in the past. The Harvard folks tell us they are working to protect the post office and are hoping to speak with community members to understand the role the post office plays in their lives, the effect of any previous closures or service reductions, and any ideas about how USPS could improve its role in the community.
The team is in Hartley today (Sunday, October 14). From 12:00 noon until 1:30 p.m., they will be at the Hartley Community Center at 820 Second Street Northeast in Hartley.
Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/866350306822066/
They tell us that these community meetings are part of research and reporting on the role of the post office being conducted by Harvard Law School’s International Human Rights Clinic. According to the researchers, thier hope is to be able to report the stories and perspectives of the communities to a wide audience and key power-holders. They report that they are coming to Northwest Iowa because of previous attempts to close post offices in the region, resulting in some closures and some reductions in services. Even if you have not been affected by postal closures or service reductions but could imagine how closures or greater service reductions in the future could affect you, the researchers say they want to hear from you. It is their hope that their reporting could be one tool communities could use in the future in any conversations about saving or retaining their post office.
If you have questions or you can’t make it but have thoughts on these questions to share, the researchers say they would be happy to set up private meetings or phone calls. You can contact Amelia Evans, Clinical Instructor at Harvard Law School. Email: aevans@law.harvard.edu; Phone: 617-949-0585.
