NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) — After nearly 90 years, a library book checked out from Larchmont Public Library in Westchester County was finally returned, and the overdue fine was just $5.
Joanie Morgan from Virginia returned the book, Joseph Conrad’s “Youth and Two Other Stories,” published in 1925, which had an overdue date stamped on Oct. 11, 1933.
Calculations suggest that the book could have racked up more than $6,400 in late fees at a rate of twenty cents a day, the Larchmont Public Library capped the maximum overdue fine at just five dollars.
In July, Morgan came across the book inside her stepfather’s belongings and reached out to the library, eventually mailing the book back in September.
“At first, I thought she had the wrong library. We often get calls intended for a Larchmont library in Virginia,” Caroline Cunningham, a librarian at Larchmont Public Library told The New York Post. But it turned out, the book did belong to the Larchmont Library in New York.
The original borrower, Jimmie Ellis, lived in Larchmont with his family during the time the book was checked out.
"The book has been out of our system for so long. We'll likely retain it for its unique story," Cunningham said.
Cunningham said that the library used this unusual event as an educational moment to nudge people about returning their overdue books.