Bangkok's ‘Library of Love’ continues to win hearts

Why do we recommend this place?

Well, because of its rich history spanning over a century, the lush greenery, and the beautiful neoclassical architecture that make this library truly special. The Neilson Hays Library is not only a testament to preservation but also a vibrant hub of community activity today.

Besides being a library, it hosts various events like product launches, wedding ceremonies and classical music concerts. Every Saturday morning, the Neilson Hays Library opens its doors to children interested in listening to English-language storytelling sessions conducted by volunteers, a tradition that has been passed down since its inception, with the library's original aim being to serve the community.

The history of the Neilson Hays Library can be traced back to the Ladies’ Bazaar Association, which registered on January 25, 1869, and later established The Bangkok Ladies' Library Association, using the proceeds from the association's goods sales. This initiative aimed to cater to the foreign residents of Bangkok. It was a women-led organisation with no more than 12 female committee members, and the first president was Sarah Blachley Bradley, the wife of Dr Dan Beech Bradley.

Dr Bradley was an American Protestant missionary to Siam from 1835 until his passing. He is credited with numerous firsts, including, bringing the first Thai-script printing press to Siam, publishing the first Thai newspaper and monolingual Thai dictionary, performing the first surgery in Siam, and introducing Western medicine and technology.

Initially, the library opened once a week with mostly volunteer staff. In 1897, it expanded to daily operation, except on Sundays, and employed professional librarians for better management. The library began in a private residence without rental costs but later changed its name to The Bangkok Library Association in 1911 and built its own library building near Surawong Road in 1914.

The library's name, Neilson Hays, comes from Jennie Neilson Hays, the Danish wife of Dr Thomas Heyward Hays, who was the director of the Royal Navy Hospital in Bangkok and the first medical professor at Siriraj Hospital at the time. Jennie Neilson Hays dedicated 25 years of her life to working for the library, contributing her time and effort to various activities that kept the library running. Sadly, she passed away due to cholera in April 1920.

In her honour, Dr Hays decided to build a new library as a tribute to his wife and her dedication to the association. The new library building was constructed near the old library on Surawong Road and was designed by the prominent Italian architect, Mario Tamagno. This marked the beginning of the Neilson Hays Library, which officially opened in June 1922.

The newly built Neilson Hays Library gained popularity and thrived for several years. However, during World War II, many of its books were stolen, though some were later returned from Japan.

After Dr. Hays passed away, his will bequeathed his entire personal collection of recreational reading books to the Neilson Hays Library and donated medical textbooks to the Faculty of Medicine library at Chulalongkorn University.

Today, the Neilson Hays Library boasts a collection of around 20,000 English-language books from all corners of the world, spanning various genres such as fiction, non-fiction, rare books, young adult, and children's literature. This collection includes both the latest publications and ancient books, some dating back several hundred years, like the works of Sir John Bowring, who served as Queen Victoria's emissary to Siam and later became an ambassador to London for King Mongkut of Siam. He negotiated a treaty of amity with Siam on April 18, 1855.

On November 4-5, the Neilson Hays Bangkok Literature Festival 2023 will take place, featuring over 50 leading thinkers, writers, and authors from the global literary scene.