The Neilson Hays Library has its origins in Bangkok early in the second half of the 1800s, as has been described as Windmill Silom Road. It was 1869, a year in the reign of King Rama V.
In that year, founded the Ladies Association Bazaar in Bangkok, a nonprofit organization in 1866, to satisfy funding for a library for the reading needs of the growing English-speaking community residing in Bangkok.
At that time it was not then of Neilson Hays Library, but theBangkok Ladies Library Association.
For starters, the books for the young library were stored in a private home. Later, the Protestant Union Chapel in Charoen Krung Road was assuming this role until 1900. (The Protestant Union Chapel Christ Church, Convent Road later.) For the next 14 years the library was housed in temporary premises.
Should have in 1881, Jennie Neilson, the lady who was a significant influence on the library and the present building,Arrival in Thailand as part of the Protestant mission. Jennie Neilson married Dr. Thomas Heyward Hays, chief of the Royal Thai Navy Hospital in 1887 they moved to Bangkok.
From 1900 she was active complement to the Bangkok Ladies Library Association in the next 20 years, raising funds through the annual bazaars, the subscriptions.
The name of the library has been changed to Bangkok Library Association in October 1911. In 1914, the club has a plot in a purchaseSurawongse Road for a permanent home for the library to reduce the burden of rent.
One of the older streets in Bangkok, Surawongse Road was built in 1897 by the excavation of a canal, which were now covered for road expansion. According to the Chao Phraya Surawongse Wattanasak was named, was Surawongse Road a popular residential area in the early Bangkok.
Jennie Neilson was president of Bangkok Library Association from 1914 to 1920, when she died of cholera. Dr. Mario Heyward Hays commissionedTamagno, an Italian architect, a building in memory of his wife Jennie design.
Tamagno, like Annibale Rigotti, was born in Turin, the city known for its School of Architecture. The Italian duo was responsible for the Ananda Samakhom Throne Hall in 1907.
The other attractions of Bangkok are Tamagno
Suan Kularb Residential Hall and Throne Hall in Dusit Garden
Hua Lampong railway station in 1910.
The new building for the library opened in Surawongse Road26 June 1922 and called the Neilson Hays Library.
What piece of Italian architecture would be complete without the characteristic dome? Tamagno designed one of the great rotunda as an entrance to the main building. This entrance is no longer in use and the Rotunda serves as a gallery for art exhibitions today.
The stone inscription in memory of Jennie Neilson Hayes flanked on the wall high above the rotunda gallery of old photos of Jennie and Dr. T Heyward Hays.
Originallyfurnished to the leisure reading needs
foreign community in Bangkok today, the Neilson Hays Library provides an important reading of local population, especially children.
Activities are carried out to promote reading habits among children and a part of the library is dedicated to the children's corner. In addition, art exhibitions and meet the author sessions are also organized.
The new Café Gallery has recently been completed although theInterior decoration and furniture are not yet complete. The white one-story building that was on the shady courtyard includes a café and exhibition space with a bright and airy atmosphere.
In June 2006, the Neilson Hays Library celebrated its 84th Birthday. The tradition of the volunteer staff of the Library continues to this day. The spirit of Jennie Neilson Hays and her colleagues from the Library Association Bangkok live in the Neilson Hays Library.
To get there,can be found on the map to the Neilson Hays Library.