The book had a library stamp and was published in 1933.
A book was returned to a New York library 90 years after the day it was checked out. According to New York Postthe copy of Joseph Conrad’s 1925 book ‘Youth and two other stories‘ was published in 1933 by the Larchmont Public Library. The development came to light when Joanie Morgan of Virginia contacted the library in July after finding the book among her stepfather’s belongings. She returned it in late September, Larchmont librarian Caroline Cunningham told the newspaper.
Surprisingly, the library only collected $5 as a late fee.
The After The report said this may have been the Larchmont library’s longest checkout since it opened in 1926. Mrs. Cunningham said the man who borrowed the book lived in the village at the time.
“This was certainly quite a surprise to us,” the librarian said.
Describing the phone call with Ms. Morgan, she said, “At first I thought, are you calling the right library, because we actually get a lot of calls from Virginia, because there’s a Larchmont library in Virginia.”
Jimmie Ellis, who published the book, lived in the village with his first wife and two children. He died in 1978.
“Their home was about two blocks from the Larchmont Public Library. And since Jimmie, himself a writer and avid reader, no doubt encouraged his boys to read, they most likely borrowed books from Larchmont Public on a regular basis,” the letter said. Morgan sent it to the library.
Explaining its decision to charge such a small amount as a late fee, the library said on Facebook that patrons must pay a 20 cent fine each day a book is overdue, but that the maximum fine is $5.
“If a library book is not returned after 30 days, it will be considered ‘lost’ and the patron will be billed for the original price of the book. However, if the book is returned, it will revert to the maximum fine of five dollars” , the message said.
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