Editing Hardee County, Florida (section)

==Libraries==
Hardee County is part of the Heartland Library Cooperative which serves Hardee County and some of the surrounding counties, including [[Glades County, Florida|Glades]], [[Highlands County, Florida|Highlands]], [[Okeechobee County, Florida|Okeechobee]], and [[DeSoto County, Florida|DeSoto]]. The seven-branch library system has one branch in Wauchula. Hardee County Public Library and the Heartland Library Cooperative are also members of the [[Tampa Bay Library Consortium]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Membership – Tampa Bay Library Consortium |url=https://tblc.org/membership-2 |access-date=April 29, 2022 |language=en-US |archive-date=April 19, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220419124451/https://tblc.org/membership-2 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Hardee County Public Library was established in the mid-1980s after a group of residents expressed concern that the current small local library was not enough for the growing county. In September 1984 the Board of County Commissioners adopted the Resolution 84-21 that allowed the creation of the Hardee County Public Library. Later in 1997, the Board of County Commissioners signed an inter-local agreement to become a member of the Heartland Library Cooperative. Becoming a member of the Heartland Library Cooperative allows the library more resources 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.<ref>''Hardee county public library—Hardee county (Fl) public library''. (n.d.). Retrieved April 29, 2022, from https://librarytechnology.org/library/5233</ref><ref>Lang, P. J. (2009). ''History of the Hardee County Public Library''. https://www.hardeecountyfl.gov/_uploaded_files/library-history.pdf</ref>

In addition to traditional materials and online resources, the Hardee County Public Library contains archives from the Florida Advocate<ref>{{Cite web |title=About The Florida Advocate |url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn96027137/ |access-date=October 9, 2023 |website=[[Library of Congress]]}}</ref> and Herald-Advocate (local newspapers) on microfilm as well as Wauchula City Directories from the 1970s-to 1980s.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Historical Resources – Heartland Library Cooperative |url=http://myhlc.org/historical-resources/ |access-date=April 29, 2022 |language=en}}</ref> A library card is free for people who reside in Hardee County and other participating counties in the Heartland Library Cooperative.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Getting & Using a Library Card – Heartland Library Cooperative |url=http://myhlc.org/getting-using-a-library-card/ |access-date=April 29, 2022 |language=en}}</ref>[[File:Wauchula crths01.jpg|thumb|right|270px|[[Hardee County Courthouse]]]]

===Cities===
* [[Bowling Green, Florida|Bowling Green]]
* [[Wauchula, Florida|Wauchula]]

===Town===
* [[Zolfo Springs, Florida|Zolfo Springs]]

===Census-designated places===
{{div col}}
* [[Fort Green, Florida|Fort Green]]
* [[Fort Green Springs, Florida|Fort Green Springs]]
* [[Gardner, Florida|Gardner]]
* [[Lemon Grove, Florida|Lemon Grove]]
* [[Limestone, Hardee County, Florida|Limestone]]
* [[Ona, Florida|Ona]]
{{div col end}}

===Other unincorporated communities===
{{div col}}
* [[Crewsville, Florida|Crewsville]]
* [[Lake Dale, Florida|Lake Dale]]
* [[Oak Grove, Hardee County, Florida|Oak Grove]]
* [[Popash, Florida|Popash]]
* [[Sweetwater Ranch, Florida|Sweetwater Ranch]]
* Village of Charlie Creek{{Citation needed|date=December 2021}}
{{div col end}}