British troops in India were the first in the world to get permanent libraries

Evidence

British troops in India were the first in the world to be provided with permanent libraries, some two decades before their colleagues in Britain received the same. By the 1820s, every European regiment in India had the benefit of the services of a schoolmaster, a reading master and writing master, two assistant schoolmasters, a librarian and a schoolmistress for children. — Andrew Pettegree, Arthur der Weduwen, The Library- A Fragile History, 625

Categorization

• QUESTION: What motivated Britain to provide libraries to soldiers in India before their home troops — heat, idleness, or military discipline?
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Andrew Pettegree, Arthur der Weduwen, The Library- A Fragile History, 625
• XREF: connects to: British book exports to India grew from £8,725 to £313,772 between 1791 and 1860 — Andrew Pettegree, Arthur der Weduwen, The Library- A Fragile History, 630

Broader Connections

• British book exports to India grew from £8,725 to £313,772 between 1791 and 1860 #expands (0.35) — Andrew Pettegree, Arthur der Weduwen, The Library- A Fragile History, 630