Naugatuck Mayor Offers Some Hope That Library Hours Could Be Restored

For Naugatuck residents who are upset that budget cuts have forced the Howard Whittemore Memorial Library to reduce its weekly hours as of July 1 there may be some hope for you. 

Mayor Bob Mezzo took to Facebook and wrote the following: 

“We are still working with the library to see if there is opportunity for the library and the Borough to collaborate and restore some of the hours. I value our library also, but many in community want more cuts to the budget. The difficulty is that not everyone agrees on what should be cut.”

This is what we printed about three days ago about the library cuts. 

The Howard Whittemore Memorial Library will cut its weekly hours of operation from 44 to 29 hours, as a result of budget constraints.

This is one of several “profound changes” the library is making to cut costs, according to an open letter from Charles Marenghi, chairman of the Howard Whittemore Memorial Library Board of Trustees.

According to the letter, the following are cuts the library will make as of July 1.

• 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.

Marenghi said the library’s budget is $68,000 short of what it would need to maintain normal operations.

“This is the worst case scenario many had feared would be coming,” Marenghi wrote in the letter.

As of July 1, the library’s hours will be as follows, according to post on the Howard Whittemore Memorial Library page on Facebook:

• Sundays the library will be closed

• Mondays the library will be closed

• Tuesdays the library will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

• Wednesdays the library will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

• Thursdays the library will be closed

• Fridays the library will be open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Saturdays the library will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.