Book returned to Canadian library was 48 years overdue

Aug. 3 (UPI) -- A Canadian library said a book recently returned to a drop box turned out to be nearly 50 years overdue.

The Winnipeg Public Library said in a Facebook post that the book, Baseball by Daniel E. Jessee, was returned via the drop box at the St. James-Assiniboia branch.

The card inside the book revealed it had been due back June 18, 1974 -- 48 years before it was returned.

Stephanie George, the head librarian for the branch, said it was not the library's first encounter with long-overdue items.

"I've been at the branch for three years, and it has happened three times," George told told CTV News. "While I've been here, we had a very late magazine returned during the height of COVID. And before that, it was another book called Sarah Binks."

The Winnipeg Public Library system eliminated late fees last year, so no fines will be levied in the case of the long-overdue book.