44 Years Late, "Phenomenal Events" Book Returned to Library
There’s only one more phenomenal thing about the copy of “Guinness Book of Phenomenal Happenings” returned to the library in February – the fact that it was returned 44 years and 3 months late. And it came with $3 tucked inside the due date pocket.
The 96-page, illustrated parade of phenomenal events was due on Nov. 29, 1978, but it arrived, anonymously, in the book drop at the Midtown Carnegie Branch Library on East Central Street.
“We appreciated it if nothing else than the novelty of it. The staff were delighted to get it back,” says Midtown Carnegie Branch Circulation Manager Gina Marie Walden. “I’m not sure if the person found it and felt bad, or they were going through someone’s things. It’s a lovely mystery to wonder what the story is behind it.”
The Springfield-Greene County Library District doesn’t keep records dating that far back. There’s also no way to find out who checked it out, who returned it. Today the library district has 446,871 materials in its print collection, plus 162,440 digital materials, and there’s a record of every one of them.
“I’m not sure what the maximum overdue fine was in 1978,” Gina Marie says. “$5 is the current maximum fine for an overdue item. Patrons are billed the replacement cost after 30 days.” Only one person knows if they were billed. They’re not saying, but they did offer a $3 forgive-me fee.
The library occasionally finds money tucked inside returned books. If staff can, they contact the patron to see if they want it back. The $3 tucked in the pocket of the “Guinness Book of Phenomenal Happenings” will be deposited in a “Keep the Change” fund for the Library Foundation.
Because of its yellowed pages and general condition of the book, it most likely will not be placed back in circulation for people to check out, Gina Marie says.
The last grossly late book – over 40 years -- anonymously returned to The Library was about 10 years ago. The title, fittingly, was: “The Bermuda Triangle.”
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