Villa Park has multiple free little libraries located throughout the city. The concept of this approach is to “Take a book, read a book, keep it, return it, or replace with another”.
Thanks to a Villa Park Boys Scouts of America Troop 850 Eagle Scout project and the Friends of Villa Park Library sponsorship there is a free book program for every reader in the city. The Little Free Library boxes are similarly located in Orange, Anaheim Hills, Tustin and other cities.

Little Red Library Box Locations
- Serrano Ave & Haninger Way
- Serrano Ave & Lemon St
- Valley Dr & Brewer
- Vida Dr & Montana Cir
Private Residences with Free Library Boxes
- Beardsley Cir off Lincoln St
- Valley Drive & Loma St
About the Little Red Library Kits
The kits are offered in a variety of colors including red, green, blue, and natural. There are also single shelf and double shelf options. The library units are very sturdy, with a weather protective roof. They were made by Amish artisans who an excellent reputation for crafting all types of wooden products.
How it All Started with the Library Boxes
The solution involved obtaining the library boxes and posts from a foundation at “Your Friends at Little Free Library,” which is located at Hudson, WI. To achieve discount pricing, the library board decided to purchase four library posts with topper kits.
With that accomplished the challenge was to have the semi-constructed units finished and installed at four locations in Villa Park. Then to aid this effort, Troop 850 was approached, and the troop eagerly accepted participation in the program, with The Friends of the VP Library acting as a co-sponsor. Further, Troop 850 Senior Scout Master, Mr. Richard Barkley, selected a Senior Scout, Austin San Pedro, as program leader and as a mean for Austin to achieve his Eagle Scout designation.

Scout San Pedro immediately established a “Go Fund Me” account and made presentations at the The Friends of the VP Library, a Villa Park City Council meeting, and a Villa Park rotary meeting to explain his eagle project and solicit donations. Next, Scout San Pedro approached four Villa Park property owners to obtain their permission to install the library units on their property. All four contact residents graciously offered the use of their property. These include the families M/M Bob Brockmeier, M/M Donald Schroeder, M/M Wayne Silzel, and M/M Chad Zimmerman.
Then on a Saturday morning, eight eagle scouts and three dads, along with the welcomed supervision of Villa Park Maintenance Supervisor Mike Knowles, installed four library units. With a welcome breakfast and lunch provided by Mrs. San Pedro, Austin’s mother, the units were installed in five hours. To achieve stability, the kit posts are buried two feet in the ground with a concrete collar and base. If you have ever dug in the ground in Villa Park, you know that there is a wonderful abundance of rocks just below the ground surface!