TRUCKEE, Calif. — The story of the Truckee Bookshelf will continue for the foreseeable future thanks to its readers.

“They did it,” said Debbie Lane, owner of the bookstore. “It takes a community for the bookstore to survive, and I think they stepped up to the plate.”

Unless Lane exercises an option to close ­— which she doesn’t anticipate doing — her lease will automatically renew for two years, effective after April 1.

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“I hope (the store) has a rosy future,” Lane said. “I hope people continue to buy books, (and) they don’t forget about us.

After 21 years in business, the Bookshelf — the North Shore’s last remaining bookstore — found itself struggling due to decreasing sales. Contributing factors included the store’s relocation to the Westgate Shopping Center and the growth of online-based retailers.

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In an effort to save the Bookshelf, Krista Strecker’s 10th-grade English class at Truckee High School helped organize a community rally on Nov. 23, 2013, that generated record-breaking sales for the business.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” Lane said in response to those who came out on Nov. 23 and the weeks that have followed. “You secured our future. You gave us a real leg up, and I can’t thank them enough.”

In conjunction with the rally, the Bookshelf launched an online fundraising campaign, which raised $6,560 out of a $25,000 goal.

Most of that money will go toward promoting the store, Lane said.

As for long-term planning, several business models such as membership and co-op models are being examined.

“I just hope we can come up with something so that we can persevere through these years because I believe it’s going to come back around,” said Stefanie Colquhoun, a Bookshelf employee.