Mid-County Regional Library in Port Charlotte reopens 4 years after Hurricane Ian

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (WINK) — The Mid-County Regional Library reopened after being closed for nearly four years due to severe damage from Hurricane Ian.

The library, located along Forrest Nelson Boulevard in Port Charlotte, welcomed back excited residents. Many said they had missed having this community resource.

"Oh, very, very much. I feel like a part of our heart was missing, you know, not having this resource for our families and our community," said Angelina Pullen, a Charlotte County resident.

Hurricane Ian severely damaged the library in September 2022. Now, it has returned with significant improvements.

RELATED: Charlotte County to repair Mid-County Regional Library in Port Charlotte

"It's good. It's wonderful. Looking at the books," said Brianne Penney, a child visiting the library.

"It's such a joy to have it open again," said Pullen. "I'm just absolutely amazed at what we have here and how we've come together and repaired the damage. And you know what we had before? It's even better than we could ever imagine."

Charlotte County officials said the reopening marks a new chapter for the area, one focused on resilience. Tommy Scott, director of community services for Charlotte County, emphasized the facility's improved durability.

"This is a resilient facility," Scott said. "So everything you see in this building is completely redone, except for the walls, right? So, roof, flooring, paint, tile, all the furniture, all the shelves. We were able to save a considerable amount of books that we brought back, but we also bought a whole new stack of books to be able to bring in for people as well."

The library now features new books, tools, technology and study pods. It has been reimagined to better serve the community's needs with expanded resources.

RELATED: Charlotte County’s Mid-County Regional Library to reopen in 2026

"This is a place where our community comes to be part of our community and our culture, let alone just to come check out books and to learn and to grow and to do all of those things. So it has been a long time coming," Scott said.

The library is open Monday through Saturday, starting at 10 a.m.