Coonabarabran's Rotary bookshop will turn the final page on July 31 after serving the community for around 20 years.

The Home Timber & Hardware that housed the shop in one half of the space told volunteers it now needs the rest.

Rotary Club of Coonabarabran Executive Secretary Joan Wilkin said moving the shop's 10,000 books is too big a job for the small and aged volunteer group that runs it.

"We've made the move several times in the past," told the Western Plains App on 29 May.

"We've been at a venue that is now needing it for themselves, so it's no longer available to us.

"And look, we're incredibly grateful to these people because the initial arrangement was that we could be there for two years, and we've been there for four. They've been very generous.

"We're only a small group of people who now are reasonably older, you might say, so being able to manage the move and the running of the store is becoming more and more difficult.

"Sadly, we've come to the decision that we won't move it to a new venue yet again."

Coona Community volunteers Ian Bell and Belinda Johnson at the local Rotary club's 75-year anniversary on 13 May 2024. PHOTO: Supplied

The shop was the brain child of local Rotary member Ian Bell and according to Joan began "soon after 2000," with revenue going back into Rotary community projects.

Ian has continued to run it throughout recent years alongside fellow member Colin Welsh and a roster of other volunteers putting in the hours to keep the doors open.

Aside from the books now needing a new home, club Treasurer John Sawyer said the closure will leave a hole in the Rotary Club's fundraising efforts.

"Not only it brings money into the club, it provides a very good community mental health thing when people come in and do nothing else but talk," he said.

"And we've got about 20 to 25 community volunteers who do a shift morning and afternoon.

"It's a good mental health program for them."

John, who built bookshelves for the store when it began, said the books that aren't sold in the next two months could go to Rotary bookstores in other towns.

"I'm going to be ringing them to see if they would like to come and get them. Otherwise, and I don't like the idea, what's not sold and not given away in July, they're going to have to go to the dump unfortunately," he said.

Joan asked people with ideas for the books can get in touch with the club.