Another way Henry’ s Books supports the community is by partnering with non-profit organizations so customers can purchase books or audiobooks online while supporting the store.
Bookshop. org partners with indie bookstores across the country and returns 30 percent of each sale to a bookstore of the customer’ s choice. If a customer does not choose a store to donate to, the funds go into a pool, which is divided amongst all the stores twice a year.
“ It just feels like a really special opportunity for all of us to not only come together collectively as booksellers, but to feel really empowered and supported by someone who can fulfill online orders where we don’ t have that capacity. But they work with the same distributor as us, so they have the same availability and ship anywhere in the country,” said Elizabeth.
Libro. fm is their audiobook partner, which also returns a portion of each sale and membership. Unlike some audiobook platforms, credits do not expire. Elizabeth said they run wonderful sales and occasionally ask Henry’ s Books what they would like to see on sale.
To further extend their ability to support the needs of the community, Henry’ s Books also has a non-profit foundation, started through a fiscal sponsorship from the Black Hills Area Community Foundation.
“ The foundation does three things. We work to remove barriers to book ownership, provide literary-oriented community programming, events and resources and we provide writing resources to writers and authors of all ages in the Black Hills,” said Elizabeth.
These are viewed as ways to enrich the community as well as opportunities to invite others to partner with the Henry’ s Books Foundation. Through the foundation, they can apply for grants, provide sponsorship opportunities and accept donations that they otherwise would not be able to.“ This helps us say yes to so many things,” said Elizabeth. Some of the programs include a monthly book club, a quarterly story and art lesson through United Way, craft nights, game nights, poetry events, Banned Books Week and more. Currently, Henry’ s Books is also participating in the Spearfish Mini Read, a community-wide book club with special programming. Community events are posted regularly on the store’ s website.
Community members can even host their own events at the store in the community room for groups of up to 25 people. Henry’ s Books partners with Nonna’ s Kitchen so guests can get refreshments for their events from next door.
To support local writers and authors, Henry’ s Books hosts book signings at the store most Saturdays between spring and fall. They also champion indie authors through supplying marketing coaching for authors, offering proofreading and manuscript critiques, providing writing workshops and carrying a selection of locally written books. There is a dedicated writing resource section in the store to support writers as well.
Meanwhile, the store’ s quarterly fiction publication, The Bookmark, serves as a resume-building tool for local writers, providing a way for them to get their writing published. It simultaneously serves as an advertising outlet to support Henry’ s Books Foundation.
As part of their efforts to remove barriers to book ownership, Henry’ s Books Foundation was able to give away $ 4,200 worth of books to classroom libraries for all the elementary classrooms this fall. They regularly take surplus books to Little Free Libraries in Spearfish as well.
Elizabeth said they want to see the Henry’ s Books Foundation become a thriving part of the business that elevates the community, provides access to literature and provides enriching programming.
“ We want to be foundational to the people in our community. We want to be a pillar that people can count on. We want to be a space that people can rely on where they will be welcome in the bookstore and find what they need,” said Elizabeth.
Dylan and Elizabeth Photo courtesy of Kinsey Whidby
Learn more at shophenrysbooks. com
14 Down Country Roads March / April 2026