India

In India, BSF supported the Pandrata Circle association in 2010 to open the historic Study Circle library to the public in Gokarna, South India. Founded in 1948, this library preserves an exceptional collection of nearly 70,000 works in 38 languages, including antique books printed by lithography, study texts nearly two centuries old, and works engraved on wooden tablets—all threatened by inadequate storage conditions.

BSF supported the establishment of the facility, staff training, and enhancement of the collections, while delivering a complementary collection of 2,000 books in French and English, particularly in theater and children’s literature. This project helped preserve a unique documentary heritage and created the village’s only accessible library.