Library Service Update

What's happening at Mid-County?

Like so many of our community’s homes and businesses, our main library was ravaged in last year’s hurricane. Here’s where things stand.

Before the storm

Mid-County Regional Library on Forrest Nelson Blvd. had been Charlotte County’s flagship library since the building’s opening in 2005. Our largest and busiest branch, the library housed more than 100,000 items, offered a variety of in-demand meeting spaces, and was home to many popular programs—a true hub for community life.

What happened

When Hurricane Ian made landfall on September 28, 2022, its category 4 winds damaged the library’s roof and all of the building’s air-conditioning units. Torrential rains poured in through the resulting holes. No area of the building was unscathed. Ceiling tiles caved in, covering the shelves and floor with a layer of debris. Flooring, ductwork, insulation, and drywall were soaked. Mold grew quickly. Furniture was ruined. Over 40,000 library books and A/V items were lost. The library’s children’s collection, nonfiction materials, and large print books were especially hard-hit. The building’s facade remained largely intact, concealing the devastation within.

After the storm

As soon as it was safe to do so, mitigation efforts began. Carpet, drywall, and ceilings were torn out throughout the building. Any books that were deemed salvageable were cleaned, inventoried, packed, and shipped. They are now being held in a climate-controlled storage facility in Orlando. Computers and makerspace equipment were largely usable and have been redistributed to other library branches. All flooring and significant portions of drywall and carpet were torn out. All furniture and shelving were removed.

In the months that followed, county staff worked extensively with insurance and independent consultants to determine whether the library building itself could be saved.

With Mid-County out of commission indefinitely, library staff have done our best to provide interim services. We set up WiFi and laptop stations to help residents get online in the aftermath of the storm. We’ve added days and extended hours across our existing locations, provided curbside holds service at Centennial Park Recreation Center, and brought materials to county parks in our traveling library. More residents are now receiving books through our homebound delivery service.

As we continued to wait for news, we were grateful to hear from so many of you about the difference this library has made in your lives. You’ve discovered the joy of reading, learned life skills, and built a community in this place.

What's ahead

Now that a comprehensive survey of the structural condition of the building has been completed, the Charlotte County Commissioners are moving in the direction of repairing the library. We'll share progress updates as they're available on this page and in our quarterly newsletter, Between the Lines.

You can also sign up to get Between the Lines delivered to your inbox when you subscribe to email updates.

New hours

Our hours have changed to better meet your needs. We're now open until 8 on select evenings. Mid-County Regional Library remains closed.

Traveling Library

We're bringing the library to the parks! Borrow from our capsule collection or return your items. Look for our tables at locations around our community on select dates.

See where we'll be 

Curbside pickup

In addition to our library branches, you can now place holds to pick up curbside at the Centennial Park Pool & Recreation Center in Port Charlotte.

Centennial Park Recreation Center

Hours: Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Follow the signs to the blue staff entrance.
Call 941.613.3203 when you arrive.

More information

For more Hurricane Ian recovery information, visit Charlotte County's website.