History
In 1900, Royal Medical College Library was the first library according to the evidence,
an acknowledgement letter for building Royal Medical College in 1900 by Chao Phraya Pasakorawong
(Porn Bunnak), the Minister of the former Ministry of Public Instruction, also who was in charge of
religious affairs.
In 1925, Faculty of Medical Sciences Library was established on the 2nd floor of the Administrative
Building, Faculty of Medical Sciences and Siriraj Hospital, by Prof. A.G. Ellis, the Director at that time.
In 1942, after the Medical School had been developed into the University of Medical Sciences, the library was renamed Faculty of Medical Sciences and Siriraj Hospital Library.
In 1953, Library Department was started as Central Library according to Royal Thai Government Gazette, Vol. 70 Part 16, dated 7th March, 1953.
In 1977, the Library was changed to Library Division under Office of the University President, Mahidol University.
In 1979, Central Library in Salaya Campus was begun.
In 1982, Central Library first opened in the first year of studying as Mahidol University Salaya Campus.
In 1986, ‘Library Division’ was developed into Office of Library, Mahidol University, according to Royal Thai Government Gazette, Vol. 103 Part 140, dated 8th August, 1986.
In 1988, Office of Library used CDS/ISIS programs from UNESCO to create a library book list database by Ms. Chirudee Pungtrakul as Head of the project.
In 1992, Sirindhorn Music Library was founded on the 3rd floor, Office of Library Building, Salaya, on the Auspicious Occasion of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s 3rd Cycle Birthday Anniversary.
In 1995, Office of Library’s budget was approved for developing Central Library Phase 1 (1995-1997).
Office of Library was built next to the previous building and another (At present, Faculty of Information and Communication Technology building) was built in front of the old building as well.
In 1996, Office of Library developed the new library system, Automated Library, which is convenient for library users to search resources by online system via computers. Moreover, this system made users be convenient to borrow and return library resources by Barcode system.
In 1997, Office of Library used the Annual Government Statement of Expenditure to construct 2 new buildings between 1997 and 2000.
In 2000, 3 libraries including Faculty of Public Health Library, Faculty of Dentistry Library, and Faculty of Tropical Medicine Library, were merged together to become Rajvithi Campus Library.
In 2002, Information and Communications Technology Project asked to use the 4-floor building of Office of Library. The information and communications technology project has now become Faculty of Information and Communications Technology.
In 2009, Office of Library changed its name to Mahidol University Library and Knowledge Center which made it equal to a faculty on 20th May 2009, as announced in the Royal Thai Government Gazette, Vol. 126 Special Part 169 Ngor, dated 20th November, B.E. 2552 (2009), Page 120.
The 1st floor of 3-floor building and the entrance of the library were renovated. The period of renovation was 26th September 2009-11th August 2010.
In 2014, the Library changed the automated library system from Millennium to Sierra.
In 2015, Faculty of Information and Communications Technology asked to use the 2nd and 3rd
floors of the building between the 3-floor building and the 4-floor building connecting the South side.
The library was developed for the age of information and technology, supporting information
administration and dissemination of information serving users whose lifestyles were changing.
Mahidol University Library and Knowledge Center will move on to develop ‘Wisdom of the Land’
with the goal of being a world- class university library.