Man Returns Late Library Books with $1,000 Overdue Fine

Recently, one borrower-gone-bad decided to redeem himself for his sins against his high school library with a $1,000 overdue payment.

By Kathryn Hawkins. Posted on November 26 2009

Overdue fees on library books can really add up. But you’d have to really take your time heading to the drop box to end up with an overdue fee in the quadruple digits.

Because most books aren’t worth that much, libraries generally cap overdue fees at a maximum of $25, with the caveat that you won’t be able to borrow another book until you’ve paid the fine. Frequently, they’re forced to eat their losses, since the errant borrower rarely returns to pay his fine.

But recently, one borrower-gone-bad decided to redeem himself for his sins against his high school library. The anonymous man checked out two library books about the Audubon Society in 1958 from Camelback High School in Phoenix, Arizona, and forgot to return them. 51 years later, he was clearing out some of his possessions from his parents’ house when he came across the two books, now dusty with age.

So, he sent the books back to his old high school—along with a letter and a generous overdue fee.

“I’ve enclosed a money order to cover my delinquency dues,” the letter reads. “At 0.02 cents per day it works out at $745.00 for 51 years,” the letter said. “I’ve sent along a few more dollars in case the rates changed.”

He had enclosed a money order for $1,000—enough to purchase quite a few new books for the library. Too bad he hadn’t borrowed a few more books, or they’d be able to pay for a whole new wing.

Filed under: Arts and Culture, General Interest, Weird,

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