At the end of May, the classic,1920s library on Surawong Road, Neilson Hays, began a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds for essential repairs estimated at B10 million. After asking the public to contribute B500,000 to the project, the library’s crowdfunding campaign eventually reached B774,500 as of Jul 11. Here we chat to the library’s president, Nalin Vanasin, about its past and future.

The Asiola crowdfunding drive has already reached B774,500. Were you surprised by the response?

Actually, I wasn’t surprised because I know that there are plenty of people who are still in love with books—the actual square objects with printed text on paper—so I was pretty calm about it. However, at first I expected the figure to be around B1 million, but I thought that might be too high to ask at first. So we decided to go with B500,000. As time went by, I got a bit nervous, as I was still hoping that we'd reach B1 million. All in all, it’s not all about the money. We launched this campaign in order to grab attention from the public and raise awareness about the existence of this library.

We heard that the repairs are estimated to cost B10 million. Is that accurate and where will the rest of that money come from?

The exact cost is B9.7 million. For the rest, we’ve got around B7 million from Boon Rawd Brewery, the James H.W. Thompson Foundation and other generous donors. But it’s not quite enough, so we are still in the process of negotiating with the bank. Also TOA Paint is helping us with the painting process.  

Who owns the library?

Everybody. This library is run by a non-profit organization of the same name. It’s built to be a place for the community, basically whoever loves the library. Everybody who works here does so voluntarily, even the committee of the library. It’s a time-consuming but soul-enriching job for me.

What’s your relationship with the library?

I grew up with this library. It’s like a home to my soul. Ever since I was a kid, I've loved spending time here, picking a book and reading all day. I have always considered this library as a part of my family.

Following major recent land sales in Bangkok featuring historic buildings, is there any chance that Neilson Hays might get sold to developers?

No way. Everybody here loves this library and I don’t just talk about our volunteers, but the whole community in the area. Our neighbors love this library and they want to help us protect it as well.

Is there any state protection for Neilson Hays on the grounds of historic importance?

Yes. Neilson Hays comes under the protection of the Fine Arts Department. The department has registered our library as a National Monument since 2001.

Do you think the state in Bangkok does enough to protect important architecture?

The Fine Arts Department is trying as hard as it can to conserve and protect historic buildings, but their budget and manpower are limited. They don’t have enough money or people to offer proper architectural maintenance. Even though our library is registered as a National Monument, the department is not able to help us with funding at all. We have to raise money ourselves and take care of the building ourselves. The only thing is we have to submit any renovation plans to them first before we start anything.

What measures are currently missing which you think would help protect buildings of historic importance?

I think people in this country still lack knowledge on modern architecture. Besides actual architects, very few people get the concept of "modern architecture" and understand its value. It’s really important for people to see that these buildings have shared history with thei community for generations. It’s sad that developers are trying to buy these buildings and turn them into malls. It's not for me to tell others that they can’t sell their land or architecture off for a huge amount of money, but sometimes communities can stand up and take action to protect buildings of significance. It comes down to a sense of belonging. The goverment needs to act to provide more education about the value of modern architecture, while the Fine Arts Department definitely needs a bigger budget. 

Neilson Hays Library, 195 Surawong Rd., 02-233-1731. Open Tue-Sun 9:30am-5pm