A library book that was more than a century overdue has been returned to the St. Paul Public Library
By means ofThe Associated Press
November 18, 2023, 1:38 PM
A photo from the St. Paul Public Library shows a book, “Famous Composers,” that was recently returned to the library in St. Paul, Minnesota. The tome appeared while someone was going through a relative’s belongings. The Paul Public Library’s receipt shows it was last borrowed in 1919, Minnesota Public Radio reported. (Claire Huber/St. Paul Public Library via AP)
The Associated Press
ST. PAUL, Minn. — A library book that was more than a century overdue was finally returned in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Titled ‘Famous Composers’ and including Bach and Mozart, the tome appeared while someone was sorting through a relative’s belongings. The St. Paul Public Library receipt shows it was last borrowed in 1919, Minnesota Public Radio reported.
St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter joked in a tweet on Saturday that there would be no fine. The library, like many others across the country, stopped charging late fees in 2019.
The future of the book is uncertain. John Larson, the St. Paul Public Library’s digital library coordinator, said he doubted it would come back into circulation because of its fragile condition, but expected the library would hang on to it.
“It has reached a point where it is not just an old book, but an artefact. There is a bit of history in it,” he says.
Larson said in the 25 years he worked at the library, this was the oldest book he ever saw again.
“There have been a few moments where something has come back and maybe it’s been checked out for 20 or 30 years, but nothing where it seems like it’s been out for about a hundred years,” he said.