and materials for its members. In the summer of 2004, the library building was severely damaged by Hurricane Charley and managed to keep its doors open for a couple of years before ultimately closing in 2006 for much-needed repairs. The library reopened its doors in January 2007. The library went from 5,800 square feet in 1984 to 15,680 square feet in 2007. It circulates an average of 71,251 items per year to 27,652 residents. In addition to traditional materials and online resources, the Hardee County Public Library is also home to the Florida Advocate and Herald-Advocate (local newspapers) on microfilm as well as Wauchula City Directories from the 1970s-to 1980s. A library card is free for people who reside in Hardee County and other participating counties in the Heartland Library Cooperative. Cities Bowling Green Wauchula Town Zolfo Springs Census-designated places Fort Green Fort Green Springs Gardner Lemon Grove Limestone Ona Other unincorporated communities Crewsville Lake Dale Oak Grove Popash Sweetwater Ranch Village of Charlie Creek Transportation Airports Wauchula Municipal Airport Education The Hardee County School District has one high school, one junior high, and five elementary schools. Hardee Senior High and Hardee Junior High are in Wauchula. The elementary schools are Bowling Green, Hilltop, North Wauchula, Wauchula, and Zolfo Springs. South Florida State College is a public college serving Hardee, Highlands and DeSoto Counties. Its Hardee campus is in Bowling Green. See also Florida Heartland National Register of Historic Places listings in Hardee County, Florida Notes References External links Government links/constitutional offices Hardee County Board of County Commissioners official website Hardee County Supervisor of Elections Hardee County Property Appraiser Hardee County Sheriff's Office Hardee County Tax Collector Special districts Hardee County Public Schools Southwest Florida Water Management District Heartland Library Cooperative Judicial branch Hardee County Clerk of Courts (Official Site) Public Defender, 10th Judicial Circuit of Florida serving Hardee, Highlands, and Polk counties Office of the State Attorney, 10th Judicial Circuit of Florida Circuit and County Court for the 10th Judicial Circuit of Florida Museum and library resources Heartland Library Cooperative. Hardee County is part of the Heartland Library Cooperative The Herald-Advocate, the local newspaper for Hardee County, Florida fully and openly available in the Florida Digital Newspaper Library Other resources Photos of Damage from Hurricane Charley at FloridaDisaster.org Florida counties 1921 establishments in Florida Populated places established in 1921 Micropolitan areas of Florida