As I said in a previous post or two, we have an enormous library here at Glen Park, second to none. I'm sure we have 'lost' a few books over the years but nothing like this. ( From the Guardian)
A woman has brought back a book to a New Zealand library 67 years after it was due to be returned.
Myths and Legends of Maoriland by AW Reed was checked out by a girl in 1948 and not seen again. But on Thursday a woman returned the book to a startled librarian at Auckland library and asked how much her late fines would be for returning the book 24,605 days past its due date.
“She told me she had checked out the book as a child and been meaning to return it for years,” said librarian Zoe Cornelius.
“She seemed a bit embarrassed but I was pleased because she said she had read and enjoyed the book many times over the decades and that made me happy – that the book had been in a good home and loved.”
The woman would not incur any late fees, said Cornelius, as she was a child when the book was checked out and children were not charged late fines at the library.
An original checkout slip on the back of the book states that fines for overdue books would be charged at three pence for the first week, and one penny a day for every day following.
If the borrower had been an adult her overdue fines at today’s rates of NZ$1 a day would have amounted to NZ$24,605
Auckland library holds three copies of Myths and Legends of Maoriland, none of which are allowed to leave the library.
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