Library book that was 73 YEARS late
LIKE most library books, it was due for return after 14 days.
Instead, it stayed with its borrower’s family for 73 years, racking up almost £3,000 in fines.
Now, after a amnesty on late return fees, it has finally been sent back.
American adventure novel Stately Timber by Rupert Hughes was due to be handed back to the Central Library in Dunfermline, Fife, on November 6, 1948.
Librarians were astonished when it was sent back by post from Cromarty by the borrower’s daughter. She explained in a letter that her late father had lived in Thornton, Fife, in 1948 and borrowed it when he was 20.
She said she did not know whether he had forgotten to return it or chose to keep it.
‘I find it fascinating to see the dates of when this book was taken out, during the latter years of World War Two, and that the war ended between stamps marked by librarians. Life goes on around momentous historical events,’ she said. Donna Dewar, of what is now Dunfermline Carnegie Library and Galleries, said: ‘I burst out laughing when I opened the parcel – I couldn’t believe it.
‘We had a book returned to our Rosyth branch after 14 years recently, which we thought was amazing enough, but this was way beyond anything we’ve heard of. For a bit of fun we worked out how much could have been due in fees and it comes to £2,847.’
A note inside the cover says: ‘This book may be retained for 14 days. The librarian is authorised to levy fines on readers who lose or damage books, or keep them beyond the time allowed.’
Christine McLean, Fife cultural heritage chief, said: ‘We’re thrilled to have received it. We look forward to finding a special place to display the book and the story of its journey in our local studies section.’
The Guinness world record for the most overdue library book is held by one returned to Sidney Sussex College at Cambridge University.
Borrowed in 1668, it was given back 288 years later.