In the middle of the 20th century, the Tibetan people began a painstaking passage from their homeland and traveled to all corners of the earth. What was a tragedy for one people, however, has been a magnificent gift to the world. For when the Tibetans left their homeland they carried with them more than Old World customs. They carried vital, energetic traditions that have since inspired the interest of a multitude. This vitality is captured in the great literature of the Tibetan people, but as those people scatter across the glove, the treasures contained in that literature are in danger of being lost forever.

In 1999, Gene Smith founded the Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center (TBRC) to preserve and make available Tibetan literature. TBRC focuses on internet-based digital preservation so that Tibetan masters, scholars, translators, and all interested readers, wherever they are located, have access to the full range of Tibetan literature. Through the generous patronage of our supporters, we at TBRC have made significant progress. We have greatly expanded our original collection and developed cutting-edge technology for its preservation and distribution. With Gene's insight and stewardship, TBRC is now a modern Tibetan library unlike any that has existed before.

"If we can preserve the books, even if we can't preserve the buildings, it doesn't matter, the culture will come back."