Open Letter from Whittemore Library Board of Trustees Chair

Dear Employees, Friends, and Patrons,

It is with a heavy heart that I write this letter. The age of austerity in regards to how the Howard Whittemore Memorial Library is funded has finally pushed the library board of directors to make profound changes in order to remain on budget for the 2014-2015 fiscal year. As of July 1, 2014, the following cuts needed to be made in order to balance a budget that is approximately $68,000 short of what is needed to maintain the library and its staff. They are as follows:

• All full time employees that are covered by the library insurance will now pay a premium share in addition to office co-pays and their deductible.
• The library will no longer be open on Mondays or Thursdays.
• The library will close earlier (1 P.M.) on Fridays.
• There will be a reduction in hours for technology services.
• There will be no raises for library staff in this fiscal year.

These cuts had to be made to address rising insurance costs, payroll, cleaning services, and utilities. By closing we will gain the necessary savings in payroll, cleaning, and utilities. By modifying our employee insurance premium share we can address the increase in insurance costs. This is the worst case scenario many had feared would be coming. These cuts are the direct result of a slumping and slow economy that impacts our funding from the Whittemore Trusts and nearly seven years with only a proposed $5,000 increase in funding from the town. The cold hard fact is that we can no longer have a full-time library in Naugatuck with the funding we are getting. We will be reducing our hours of service from 44 hrs per week to 29 hrs per week.

Please note that these cuts are going to impact the downtown economy. Rest assured as the hours are cut so are the amount of times families will frequent downtown. In addition, there will now be two less days for people to access the technology resources that many depend on. Also, library employees that spend money at down town establishments will have far less time and money to spend in downtown. Lastly, the shame that yet another architectural gem in our scenic and historic downtown will be closed far more than it is open.

Many a finance board member and burgess have told us to fundraise our way out of this problem. In all honesty a small and loyal group of friends along with our staff do fundraise all the time. To expect them to raise $68,000 a year is unrealistic. Moreover, to budget on the possibility of raising funds is less than intelligent and is not fiscally responsible. In addition, many have cited the improving stock market as an additional source of funds. On the outside chance that we have more income from the Whittemore Trusts than we budgeted for, we (the Board of Directors) may be able to extend hours later this fiscal year. However, no one can really predict the market and all its fluctuations accurately. It is fair to say that to count on such a windfall would be fiscally irresponsible.

To all those that supported us throughout the budget process, we thank you. To those that did not recognize the severity of the library’s situation and thought things would work themselves out, I hope that you now understand. To those that still value a place in your town where you can research with the help of a professional librarian and interact with authentic primary resources, we hope that you will support us in the future.

Regretfully,
Charles Marenghi
Chairman, Howard Whittemore Memorial Library Board of Trustees