A long-lost library book has found its way back to the New York Public Library after an astounding 90 years to the day it was checked out. The copy of Joseph Conrad's 1925 book 'Youth and Two Other Stories' was issued by the Larchmont Public Library in 1933,reported the New York Post.
The development came to light after Joanie Morgan of Virginia first contacted the library in July after she found the book among her stepfather’s belongings and mailed it back at the end of September, the outlet reported, citing Larchmont librarian Caroline Cunningham.
The late fee fine collected by the library for this extraordinary return was only $5.
The librarian speaking further to the outlet also said that it is was likely the longest check-out the Larchmont library had seen since its opening in 1926. The book was borrowed in 1933 by a man who lived in the village at that time.
"At first I thought, are you calling the right library because we actually get a lot of phone calls from Virginia because there’s a Larchmont library in Virginia," the librarian said on receiving a call from Morgan to return the book.
The man, Jimmie Ellis, who had borrowed the book lived in the village with his first wife and two kids, and died in 1978.
"Their house was about two blocks from Larchmont Public Library. And since Jimmie, a writer and avid reader himself, no doubt encouraged his boys to read, they most likely borrowed books from Larchmont Public on a regular basis," according to a letter received by the libraray from Morgan, reported the New York Post.
Explaining why such a paltry sum was charged as fine, the library in a Facebook post wrote, "When a library book has not been returned after 30 days, it is considered ‘lost’ and the patron is billed for the initial price of the book,” it wrote. “However, when the book is returned, it reverts back to the maximum fine which is five dollars."