A fundraiser email for a group opposing the library’s move to 10 Dixon Avenue in Bearsville caused a bit of confusion and prompted the library to post a disclaimer on social media as well as on its website.
“Library invites you to support their fundraiser,” is the subject line of the email from GoFundMe, a crowd-funding organization. In the body of the email message is the following headline: “Library Lovers would like you to support Library Lovers of Woodstock, NY by making a donation and spreading the word.”
But the Woodstock Library countered with its own post. “Woodstock Library is not soliciting donations via a GoFundMe campaign. If you receive an email that appears to be from Woodstock Library asking you to contribute to GoFundMe — That’s not us,” reads a Facebook post from Woodstock Public Library District.
“In case anyone has received a GoFundMe solicitation in Woodstock for ‘Library Lovers,’ please be aware that this ‘group’ (not sure how many people are involved) has no connection at all with the Woodstock Library,” library Trustee Leslie Gerber said on the neighborhood social media site Nextdoor.
“They are attempting to get financial support for their lawsuit against the Woodstock Library, to prevent adaptation of the Miller-Howard Building for library use.”
The fundraising campaign is for Library Lovers, a group formed by Hera (no last name), which has sued the library and the town to stop the move, saying they were negligent in not conducting full environmental studies of the new site, which was formerly occupied by lens maker Model Optics before Miller/Howard Investments built a new building on the site.
The library has countered that tests show there are no contaminants that rise to the level of concern.
Join the family! 
