The Neilson Hayes Library

The Library is one of those places that many of us have passed and have said we should go and visit but somehow never seem to get around to doing it. The original entrance, now closed, was through the Rotunda. It’s a pity, if the entry were still there; the first thing to catch the eye would be the dedication plaque to Jennie Nielsen Hayes. Today entrance is across the compound, dodging around a tree and coming in by what was once the back door.

Once inside there is a the same sense of calm and tranquility one feels in The Author’s Lounge at The Oriental, a place for a good read.

So what is the Neilson Hayes Library? “The Ladies Bazaar Association,” says Annie Silberstein, President of the Library “a charitable institution, founded in June 1866, originally to raise funds for the New Presbyterian Mission in Chiang Mai. On 25th January 1869 The Bangkok Ladies’ Library Association was formed from the proceeds of their fund raising to cater for the large English-speaking community in Bangkok. It also coincided with the first year of the reign of King Chualalongkorn, King Rama V. . The Bazaar Association ceased to exist in July 1873.

At first the books were stored in a private residence on the Baptist Compound. In 1871they were moved to the vestry of the Protestant Chapel (the British Consulate Church) in the compound of the Borneo Company where they remained rent free until 1900.

Jennie Neilson, Danish by birth, had immigrated to America as a child came to Siam as a missionary assigned to the Protestant Mission in Petchaburi in 1881. In 1887 she married Thomas Heyward, a medical missionary. They first settling in 3 Oriental Avenue before moving to Windmill (now Silom Road) where their life work was done.

Mrs. Hays was very interested in many charitable organizations and in particular ensuring the financial stability of the Library Association. Over the twenty years that Jennie Nielson Hayes had been involved with the association. In 1900 it was occupied the ground floor of the House on New Road belonging to Mr. J.C.Naylor, a Barrister-at-law. In January 1909 it moved to a large upper room at the premises of Messrs Falck & Beidek in Chartered Lane Building. On 11th October 1911 it was re-named the Bangkok Library Association so that men wouldn’t feel that they were debarred from being a subscriber.

At the beginning of the twentieth century the library was supported by subscription and the proceeds of an annual bazaar organized by Jennie Neilson Hays.

The Committee felt that payment of 80 ticals rent every month was a large strain on their resources and debentures were issued to the sum of 8,700 ticals to buy a land and erect a modest Library on the present site on Suriwongse Road that was opened in 1914. Jennie Neilson Hayes was President of the Library Association from 1914 to her sudden death from suspected cholera in April 1920. Some years later Dr Hayes was to comment about hygiene in Bangkok at that time “…a peculiar place – you might be having dinner with a man tonight and attend his funeral tomorrow.”

In memory of her love for the Library, and her long association with it Dr. T. Hayward Hayes commissioned Mario Tamagno to build the present building and gifted it to the Association in the name of “The Neilson Hayes Library”. The architect from Turin, Italy had been commissioned by King Rama V to work on many palatial projects such as Ananta Samkhon Throne Hall in 1906 and Bangkhunprom Palace originally built as the residence for H.M. Queen Sukhumala Marasri and today home of the Bank of Thailand.

The Neilson Hayes Library was opened on 26th June 1922, and as an acknowledgement of this “new’ institution King Rama VI gave the library a Secretary Writing desk, bearing the Royal Insignia which is still in use today.

“During World War II,” Annie says, “the Library as was the neighbouring British Club, occupied in December 1941 by the Japanese Army as a barracks. All the books were taken from to Japan and not all of them were returned. After the war the Library re-opened in October 1947.”

“Today its run by a committee of 12 women,” she says, “a stipulation in the constitution by Dr Hayes. Membership is by subscription but members don’t have any voting rights. The board has total control of the Libraries affairs. Amazingly in the entire existence of the library the system has worked.”

Even though it’s managed by women it’s a male friendly environment. Most of the members using the facilities are men who come to read their newspapers in the morning. “Opening hours of 9-4,” she says” has become an issue, as it doesn’t work for working people or housewives living in Sukhumvit.

‘It’s a fabulous library with a lot of facilities,” she says, “Children’s libraries, meet the author evening and other book associated activities. Bangkok has changed a lot since the library opened today its easy to get a couple of good books from the many book shops around town, and that a direct competition. There is a need a balance between the literature available in the library and literary activities. Its value added literature.”

“30% of our members are,” she says, “more Thai families want their children to read English. But in general reading is a foreign concept to Thais. At Saturday reading group children who don’t speak English want to be able to read.”

Neilson Hayes Library

195 Surawongse Road

Tel 0-2233-1731

Annual Membership Fee

Individual 2,000 baht

Family 2,800 baht