The Library of the present-day Vilnius Academy of Arts was founded at the beginning of the 1920s to serve the newly created Faculty of Arts of Vilnius University. The Faculty became the autonomous Vilnius Academy of Arts in 1941. During the years when Lithuania was part of the USSR, the Library acquired Russian art books but was unable to purchase art books from other countries, and access to some material was strictly limited. Since Lithuania became independent in 1991, political restrictions have been removed but funds, and space, are lacking.