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Waterbury resident urges city to boost library funding, warns staff are 'underpaid and overworked'
Summary
At a public hearing on the mayor's proposed 2026–2027 budget, Waterbury resident Paul T. Smith urged increased funding for the city library, citing director notes that per‑capita support 'hasn't changed since about 1990,' reduced branch access, threatened weekend hours and staff shortages. The hearing closed and the Board adjourned by voice vote.
Paul T. Smith, a Waterbury resident, told the Board of Aldermen at a public hearing Monday that the mayor's proposed 2026–2027 budget underfunds the city's library system and leaves staff stretched thin.
Smith said he visits the Waterbury library daily to use public computers and borrow materials, and that budget reductions have left patrons with fewer branches and shorter hours. "We are currently the worst in the state in terms of funding for our our library system," he said, quoting a statement he attributed to the library director. He added that "per capita,…
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