LIBRARY

History of the library is closely connected to the Academy’s history. As early as in 1869 M. Raevskaya-Ivanova’s School of Drawing was founded as an independent educational establishment with an art and industrial profile. Its library contained approximately 400 volumes in 1893.

Art College was founded in Kharkiv in 1912. Part of M. Raevskaya-Ivanova’s school library was handed over to the College library. In 1919 the College was reorganised into Free State Art Workshops.

Since 1947 Tetyana Mykolaivna Volkova was the chief librarian. She began to register all books in the accession record journal and compile catalogues. On January, 1, 1953 the library holding contained 22 868 units.

In year 1963 Kharkiv State Institute of Arts was reorganized into Kharkiv Art and Industrial Institute and restructured for preparing artists with industrial and decorative profiles. Except the literature on fine art, the library began gathering literature on industrial aesthetics, industrial design, engineering manufacture, architecture, decorative and applied art, folk crafts, theatre, anatomy, botany, zoology, and fiction.

In 1966 the library’s staff began compiling subject file cabinets according to the profile of the Institute and a subject catalogue on industrial aesthetics. In late 1980 Nina Viktorivna Soboleva became the chief librarian. She continued what was begun by T.M. Volkova. When in 1991 the Institute got a new building, the library moved into a room with the total area of 652 m2 which was specially designed for this purpose. Since then, students started to decorate the library: they painted the walls, made stained-glass windows, created sculptures and paintings for the library hall and rooms. Also restoration of the early 20th century library furniture has begun.

By year 2014 the library holding contained 137 896 units, including 27 944 books and 4 641 periodical publications.

The library holding of rare and valuable editions comprises 1340 printed publications (the earliest dated 1800). Among them there are such books as The costume of the hereditary states of the house of Austria (London, 1804), Russian folk ornament. Sewing, textiles, lacework (1 edition, S.-Petersburg, 1872) (Pycскій народный орнаментъ. Шитье, ткани, кружева), Practical guide to painting with oils by F. Iennike (translated from German, S.-Petersburg, 1884) (Практическое руководство къ живописи масляными красками), Rafael: Posthumous edition with 53 drawings by A. Vysheslavtsev (S.-Petersburg, 1894) (Рафаэль: Посмертное изданіе съ 53 рисунками), and History of painting of the 19th century by R. Muter (S.-Petersburg, 1899) (Исторія живописи въ XIX въкъ).

Today the library holding is getting expanded with literature on fine art and decorative-and-applied art. These are publications on design, history of arts and culture written in many languages. The library has 4 reference rooms and a delivery desk. Moreover, a computer reference room works under the information and reference department. All the computers are connected to the Internet. As for the reference aids, they consist of 4 catalogues and 6 file cabinets. An electronic catalogue is currently under development. It is notable that the library regularly holds book exhibitions and presentations. It also takes part in various cultural and artistic events organized by the Academy. Therefore, the library staff is striving to carry on traditions introduced by its founders, as well as to implement new cutting edge technologies and modern services in the library.

Tel.: (057) 720-22-08
E-mail: hudprom.bka@gmail.com