The Valley Park Community Library was founded in 1940 when a group of concerned citizens met and decided a library would be beneficial for the town. The City donated the use of the upper floor of the City Hall Building located on Marshall Road. The City furnished the heat and lighting as well. The library began with a collection of 1500 books donated by the Episcopal Church. Membership tickets were sold for 50 cents.
The library operated on donations from the public; even listing in the newspaper certain books that they would like to have. Donations were received from organizations and citiizens of the community to be used to purchase shelving and more books. Two librarians, curtains, chair covers and woven rugs were furnished by the W.P.A. The library officially opened on Saturday, December 14, 1940, and “despite inclement weather and the approaching Christmas Season, a ‘goodly’ number of people visited the library and took out reader cards.”
The library became tax supported in 1943 when the City levied a one mill tax to finance the library.
In 1996, the Valley Park Community Library joined with other independent public libraries around St. Louis to establish the Municipal Library Consortium of St. Louis County. The MLC shares reciprocal borrowing with the St. Louis Public Library and the St. Charles City/County Library, and In 2018 the Valley Park Board of Trustees approved a similar agreement with the St. Louis County Library.
Any patron that has a library card from an MLC library, can borrow books from any MLC library as well as major St. Louis and St. Charles libraries.
Anyone can get a free library card by bringing in a picture ID and proof of current address. Proof of address can be given via a driver license, utility bill, credit card or bank statement, etc.
The library is open Monday thru Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and staff can be contacted at 636-225-5608.