Book returned to Pennsylvania library nearly 40 years overdue

Jan. 15 (UPI) -- A Pennsylvania library said a children's book was returned to the facility nearly 40 years after its listed due date.

Josh Berk, executive director of the Bethlehem Area Public Library, said an anonymous person returned Happy Birthday Baby Jesus to the library in Nazareth, which sent the overdue tome back home to Bethlehem.

Berk said the book's listed due date was Dec. 18, 1980.

"It's so old, we have no records on it, we don't know who had it out. There's no barcode on it, we don't have it on our catalog," Berk told WPVI-TV.

He said the library doesn't plan to seek any overdue fees for the book, but they calculated what the fine would be for fun.

"Twenty cents a day, which is a lot for 40 years. We did the math, it was like $2,400 or something like that," he said.

Berk said the book has already drummed up a lot of interest among library patrons.

"You know, we are Bethlehem so, this book about Jesus came home to Bethlehem after 40 years in the wilderness. It feels made up," he said.