Prison Books Project

Home
United States
Beacon, NY
Prison Books Project

Since February 2020, we have sent over 8500 books to incarcerated folks in New York State.

10/04/2026

Today was Spirit of Beacon Day and we kicked off another grant-driven matching week by celebrating and connecting with the Beacon community outside Binnacle Books alongside our sister project the Beacon Prison Rides Project. All week this week, if you sponsor a book at any of our partner shops, your contribution will be matched thanks to a generous grant. If you sponsor books regularly or if you’ve only been thinking about it, this is a GREAT week to support us! Please show up and double your impact. Swipe for more info.

06/18/2026

We raised $800 for the Prison Books Project last Friday at Binnacle Books and Happy Valley Beacon and you all sponsored a bunch of books as well! It was a wonderful night that brought together longtime supporters of the project, new supporters and volunteers, the co-founders, and a lot of people who were merely curious. (We love you.) Moments like that go a long way to reinforce the power of community, of coming together. Thank you all so much for caring and for showing up.

Huge thank you to Hudson Valley Brewery and West Kill Brewing / West Kill Supply for donating beers to help us fundraise. These businesses are the real deal: small, local operations that are producing at the highest echelon of their craft but who also know the meaning of community; neither have ever hesitated for a moment when asked to help support our project. We’re really grateful and we’d encourage you to check them out and support them if you don’t already.

To date, the Beacon Prison Books Project has sent over 9,000 books to people incarcerated all throughout NYS. Reminder that our model is centered on people who are incarcerated, and connecting them with the book or books they want to read, via individual, one-to-one sponsorships. The act of sponsoring a book happens in person in any one of our partner shops throughout the Hudson Valley. (See below!) The funds we raised at this event, and at similar events, are used towards paying shipping costs and buying supplies and operational software.

Partner shops:
Binnacle Books
Rough Draft
World's End Comics
Oblong Books
Blue Heron Books
Good Books
Stanza Books
and our amazing shipping / logistics partner Half Moon Books

Friday night’s performers:
Simon Keough
𝕸 𝕿𝖗𝖊𝖈𝖐𝖆
Nina Day
Andrey Netboy

05/15/2026

𝕊𝔸𝕍𝔼 𝕋ℍ𝔼 𝔻𝔸𝕋𝔼 — FRIDAY JUNE 12
AN EVENING TO BENEFIT THE BEACON PRISON BOOKS PROJECT _

Performances by Mark Trecka + Simon Keough at at 7:30pm _ all ages welcome

Afterparty across the street ~9pm w/ DJs + _ 21+

Donations will be taken at both points of entry, books available for sponsorship at both sites. Spread the word, bring a friend. Let’s keep up the beautiful momentum of support for this project!

05/13/2026

$4,310.38! That’s how much y’all raised for the Beacon Prison Books Project during the Indie Bookstore Week donation matching initiative. 𝙏𝙃𝘼𝙉𝙆 𝙔𝙊𝙐! These funds will be a huge help to the continued success of the project. And with the nearly 200 books you all collectively sponsored during that week, the Prison Books Project total books sent is now well over 9,000. We couldn’t be more grateful for and amazed and inspired by all of you who turn up for the project again and again. On behalf of those requesters / readers incarcerated throughout New York State: thank you thank you thank you.

Shoutout all our partner shops:

05/02/2026

TODAY is the LAST DAY to double your impact when you support the Beacon Prison Books Project.

Until the end of the day, all Prison Books Project sponsorships via all of our partner shops WILL BE MATCHED thanks to a generous grant, good for up to $1,000 per store. None of the shops, as of this posting, have hit the limit. So help us get there!

Whether you are a regular supporter of the project or have been meaning to sponsor a book and were waiting for the perfect excuse, this is an opportunity to visit one of our several Prison Books Project partner shops and make a positive impact. Please help us make the most of this amazing opportunity!

04/29/2026

For the entire week through Saturday May 2nd –– all Prison Books Project sponsorships via all of our partner shops WILL BE MATCHED.

A generous organization is donating to the project the value of each book sponsored. So when you sponsor a book this week, you are sending a book to an incarcerated person and donating to the project at the same time. This grant is good for up to $1,000 per store, so help us rise to the occasion!

Whether you are a regular supporter of the project or have been meaning to sponsor a book and were waiting for the perfect excuse, this matching week is an opportunity to visit one of our several Prison Books Project partner shops and make a positive impact. Please help us make the most of this amazing opportunity!

04/27/2026

So many amazing people came through Binnacle Books over the course of Indie Bookstore Weekend in support of the Prison Books Project and our special donation matching opportunity! ❤️

Donation matching is active THROUGH SATURDAY MAY 2nd at all of our partner stores so please keep showing up. A generous grant has made it possible for the project to acquire up to $1000 per store. We need your sponsorships to make this happen!

Binnacle Books
Oblong Books + Oblong Books - Millerton
Rough Draft Bar & Books
Good Books
Blueheronbooksny
Stanza Books
World's End Comics

04/25/2026

Happy Independent Bookstore Day!

For the entire week, through Saturday May 2nd –– all Prison Books Project sponsorships via all of our partner shops WILL BE MATCHED thanks to a generous grant.

When you sponsor a book for the project during Indie Bookstore Week, you are sending a book to an incarcerated person and effectively donating to the project at the same time, helping us to clear our backlog, etc.

This grant is good for up to $1,000 per store, so help us rise to the occasion!

04/23/2026

Dear friends, this coming Saturday April 25th is Independent Bookstore Day. For the entire week –– from this Saturday until the following Saturday May 2nd –– all Prison Books Project sponsorships via all of our partner shops WILL BE MATCHED.

A generous organization will donate to the project the value of each book sponsored. So when you sponsor a book during Indie Bookstore Week, you are sending a book to an incarcerated person and effectively donating to the project at the same time. This grant is good for up to $1,000 per store, so help us rise to the occasion!

Whether you are a regular supporter of the project or have been meaning to sponsor a book and were waiting for the perfect excuse, this matching week is an opportunity to visit one of our several Prison Books Project partner shops and make a positive impact.

Founders and volunteers will be posted up outside of Binnacle Books this Saturday, weather permitting so please come by, say hello, and sponsor a book.

Binnacle Books
Oblong Books + Oblong Books - Millerton
Rough Draft Bar & Books
World's End Comics
Books
Blue Heron Books
Stanza Books

Address

POB 132
Beacon, NY
12508

Website

https://prisonbooksproject.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Prison Books Project posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Prison Books Project:

Want your organization to be the top-listed non profit organization in Beacon?