The library began its work at the same time with the foundation of the Academy in December 1917. In 1922 the Academy was reorganized into the Institute of Plastic Arts, which in 1924 was united with Ukrainian Architectural Institute. As a result of this unification the fund of books of Kyiv Art Institute was replenished at the expense of Architectural Institute.
     In 1935-1969 the head of the library was A. Truta. During this time the foundation of the future library was made and the first inventory was done.
     During the Second World War the fund of the library was preserved due to the architect, the teacher of the Institute P. Kostyrka. After liberation of Kyiv from fascist invaders the library rezumed its work. At the beginning of 1945 its fund consisted of 25.000 books.
     V. Tuchapska, V. Phorostovets, M. Nikitenko have been working at the library for more than 30 years. In 1970-1976 the head of the library was O. Sakalska. At this time belles-lettres fiction was separated from the main book fund. Inquiry - bibliographical fund appeared at the same time (1970).
Many structural changes have been done in the library for the last 25 years, when it was headed by O. Sokolova. There appeared new departments: of scientific and educational literature; acquisition and scientific processing of literature; inquiry-bibliographical; the department of service and book preservation.
     At the end of 80-ies the formation of inquiry-bibliographical department was finished and there appeared the system of indexation of book funds and catalogues in accordance with bibliographical classification. Every year the library fund was replenished by 10.000 - 12.000 of books, 140 periodicals, 35 of which - were foreign.
     In 1982 according to the order of the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine the library of Kyiv State Art Institute became the systematic centre of the libraries of art, theatre, choreography, circus and applied art. This changed the status of the library - from the IV-th category to the III-d. The volume of works in the library increased: the card index of scientific works of the teachers of the Institute is being done now; the employers of the libraries and archives of Kyiv, collecting materials and documents from the history of the Institute.
     There are 3 departments in the library now: acquisition and scientific processing of literature; inquiry-bibliographical and department of service and book preservation. The staff includes 16 people, 13 of whom have higher education, 6 of whom have worked in the library for a long time (from 5 to 15 years). The library serves 1170 readers. The book fund consists of 141.760 books, 84.920 of which are books on art.
     The fund of the library is unique: there are some rare editions on architecture, painting, graphics, 190 files of photo-tables from the collection of V. Shchavinsky, architectural materials of 1830, the tables of Brukman, the albums of world art galleries (Tretyakov Art Gallery, Drezden Art Gallery and others). There have been preserved some periodicals of the 19-th century, the beginning of the 20-th century. The fund of rare editions includes 7.000 books. The fund of the library is regularly replenished by scientific-systematic works of the teachers of the Institute. On the 1-st of January 2002 the number of such works was 3.500 editions.

Priority directions in the activity of the library remain:

• replenishment and preservation of the funds for present and future readers;
• computerization as the quarantee of the prestige of a modern library;
• expansion of relations with other systems and organizations;
• improvement of the service of different groups of readers.

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