Library Book Returned 81 Years Late. Perhaps the Borrower Thought He Was Doing Other Patrons a Favor Keeping It.
- by Michael Stillman
Library card image from the Timberland Regional Library (formerly Aberdeen Public Library).
There seems to have been a rash of stories about long overdue library books being returned many years late recently. Perhaps people's consciences have become more sensitive, or maybe it's because most libraries have eliminated overdue book fines. It's safe now. Whatever the reason, this book was returned 81 years late to the Timberland Regional Library in Aberdeen, Washington.
The book was The Bounty Trilogy, a book consisting of three novels by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall. It includes their best known novel, Mutiny on the Bounty, along with Men Against the Sea and Pitcairn's Island. It was taken out by a man who has not been identified but who died in 2001. It was borrowed in March 1942 and was supposed to be returned within two weeks. After that, a fine of 2 cents a day was charged. They calculated the fine to be $484.80. If that sounds a bit low, they didn't charge fines on Sundays or holidays. However, Timberland was one of those libraries that eliminated overdue book fines so nothing was due.
The book was discovered in a storage trailer. The finder, evidently a believer in the old adage, “better late than never,” did the right thing and returned it. The grateful library posted on their Facebook page, “The moral of this story? If you have an overdue book collecting dust - return it to the library. We'll take it back, and the bounty will be considered paid.”
The book, particularly the first part, Mutiny on the Bounty, received excellent reviews when released and has long been very popular. You can still borrow a copy from the Timberland Library today. However, the borrower clearly was not impressed. Perhaps he kept it to spare others from suffering through it. He has written a terse comment inside, “I wouldn’t read this if I was paid to.” He never finished it.
Freeman’s | Hindman Fine Printed Books and Manuscripts, Including Americana November 14
Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14: LEROUX, Gaston. The Phantom of the Opera. FIRST AM. ED, FIRST ISSUE IN THE VERY RARE DUST JACKET. 1911. $6,000 – 8,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14: GOULD, John. A Monograph of the Trochilidae...Humming-Birds. L., [1849-] 1861. $60,000 – 80,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14: A COMPLETE RUN of Limited Editions Club publications, v.p. [mostly New York], 1929-2010. $50,000 – 60,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14: ORWELL, George. Nineteen Eighty-Four. Lon., 1949. FIRST EDITION IN A VERY FINE DUST JACKET. $6,000 – 8,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14: GOULD. A Monograph of the Ramphastidae...Toucans. L., [1852-] 54. SECOND ED. $35,000 – 45,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14:The Federalist. NY, 1788. FIRST EDITION, THICK PAPER COPY. $60,000 – 80,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14: SELBY. Plates to Selby’s Illustrations of British Ornithology. Edin., [1833-] 34. $20,000 – 30,000.
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: APRES DE MANNEVILLETTE Le Neptune Oriental
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: CASSAS Eaux fortes de la Sicile et quelques vues d’Espagne
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: CASSINI DE THURY Carte générale et particulière de la France.
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: JOUY; GARNERAY Vues des côtes de France dans l'Océan et dans la Méditerranée
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: LA PÉROUSE Voyage autour du monde
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: LE GENTIL DE LA GALAISIERE Voyage dans les Mers de l’Inde
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: LICENT Hoang Ho, Pai Ho, Loan Ho, Leao Ho. Itinéraires suivis dans le bassin du golfe du Pei Tcheuly
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: FRENCH SCHOOL FROM THE 19th CENTURY Panorama d’Athènes
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: PEETERS Description des principales villes, havres et isles du golfe de Venise
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: PÉRON; FREYCINET Voyage de découverte aux terres australes
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: STACKELBERG La Grèce : vues pittoresques et topographiques.
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: VALENTINER Atlas des Sonnensystems.
Forum Auctions Online Sale: The Detective Fiction Collection of John Cooper Ending 7th November, 2024
Forum, Nov. 7: Christie (Agatha). The Thirteen Problems, first edition, The Crime Club, 1932. £15,000 to £20,000.
Forum, Nov. 7: Christie (Agatha). Dumb Witness, first edition, 1937. £3,000 to £4,000.
Forum, Nov. 7: Christie (Agatha). Cards on the Table, first edition, The Crime Club, 1936. £2,000 to £3,000.
Forum, Nov. 7: [Carr (John Dickson)], "Carter Dickson" and John Rhode. Drop to his Death, first edition, Heinemann, [1939]. £600 to £800.
Forum, Nov. 7: Berkeley (Anthony). Jumping Jenny, first edition, Hodder and Stoughton, 1933. £800 to £1,200.
Forum Auctions Online Sale: The Detective Fiction Collection of John Cooper Ending 7th November, 2024
Forum, Nov. 7: Marsh (Ngaio). Overture to Death, first edition, The Crime Club, 1939. £600 to £800.
Forum, Nov. 7: [Day-Lewis (Cecil)] "Nicholas Blake". The Beast Must Die, first edition, 1938. £750 to £1,000.
Forum, Nov. 7: Brand (Christianna). Green for Danger, first edition, signed presentation inscription from the author, John Lane the Bodley Head, 1945. £600 to £800.
Forum, Nov. 7: Christie (Agatha). Murder is Easy, first edition, signed by the author, 1939. £3,000 to £4,000.
Forum, Nov. 7: Sayers (Dorothy L.) Lord Peter Views the Body, first edition, Gollancz, 1928. £6,000 to £8,000.
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Sotheby's Fine Books, Manuscripts & More Available for Immediate Purchase
Sotheby’s: J.R.R. Tolkien. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. 11,135 USD
Sotheby’s: Edgar Allan Poe. The Raven and Other Poems, 1845. 33,000 USD
Sotheby’s: Leo Tolstoy, Clara Bow. War and Peace, 1886. 22,500 USD
Sotheby’s: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, 1902. 7,500 USD
Sotheby’s: F. Scott Fitzgerald. This Side of Paradise, The Great Gatsby, and Others, 1920-1941. 24,180 USD
![<b>Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14:</b> GOULD, John. <i>A Monograph of the Trochilidae...Humming-Birds.</i> L., [1849-] 1861. $60,000 – 80,000.](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/5a5a37a4-bc84-4fa8-b8b8-bad6106a9297.jpg "<b>Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14:</b> GOULD, John. <i>A Monograph of the Trochilidae...Humming-Birds.</i> L., [1849-] 1861. $60,000 – 80,000.")
![<b>Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14:</b> A COMPLETE RUN of Limited Editions Club publications, v.p. [mostly New York], 1929-2010. $50,000 – 60,000.](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/00aa5647-98fa-42e5-aa1f-e306d308a753.jpg "<b>Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14:</b> A COMPLETE RUN of Limited Editions Club publications, v.p. [mostly New York], 1929-2010. $50,000 – 60,000.")
![<b>Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14:</b> GOULD. <i>A Monograph of the Ramphastidae...Toucans.</i> L., [1852-] 54. SECOND ED. $35,000 – 45,000.](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/529a982d-de64-41cf-b68c-93f0df023bfc.jpg "<b>Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14:</b> GOULD. <i>A Monograph of the Ramphastidae...Toucans.</i> L., [1852-] 54. SECOND ED. $35,000 – 45,000.")
![<b>Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14:</b> SELBY. <i>Plates to Selby’s Illustrations of British Ornithology.</i> Edin., [1833-] 34. $20,000 – 30,000.](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/5c121f9c-5368-40ac-a487-76508b5ac622.jpg "<b>Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14:</b> SELBY. <i>Plates to Selby’s Illustrations of British Ornithology.</i> Edin., [1833-] 34. $20,000 – 30,000.")
![<b>Forum, Nov. 7:</b> [Carr (John Dickson)], "Carter Dickson" and John Rhode. <i>Drop to his Death,</i> first edition, Heinemann, [1939]. £600 to £800.](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/b3755d4d-1805-4e33-969b-59cca97eb26e.png "<b>Forum, Nov. 7:</b> [Carr (John Dickson)], \"Carter Dickson\" and John Rhode. <i>Drop to his Death,</i> first edition, Heinemann, [1939]. £600 to £800.")
![<b>Forum, Nov. 7:</b> [Day-Lewis (Cecil)] "Nicholas Blake". <i>The Beast Must Die,</i> first edition, 1938. £750 to £1,000.](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/b1a17968-ead3-471f-b6b2-ccd4e31c0e2c.png "<b>Forum, Nov. 7:</b> [Day-Lewis (Cecil)] \"Nicholas Blake\". <i>The Beast Must Die,</i> first edition, 1938. £750 to £1,000.")
