A 99-Year-Overdue Book Found While Sorting Belongings... What I Heard When I Went to Return It

Granddaughter Finds Book While Sorting Mother's Belongings
Borrowed in 1926, Recently Returned

A book that was overdue for 99 years was returned to a library in the United States. On the 9th, CNN reported that the Ocean County Library in New Jersey recently received the return of the book Home-Made Toys for Girls and Boys, which was borrowed in March 1926. Mary Cooper (81), who returned the book, said she found it while sorting through her late mother's belongings. Published in 1911, the book contains explanations and illustrations on how to make children's toys using wood, metal, and household items.

A book that was overdue for 99 years was returned to a library in the United States. On the 9th, CNN reported that the Ocean County Library in New Jersey recently received the return of the book Home-Made Toys for Girls and Boys, which was borrowed in March 1926. CNN

Inside the book were cards used for borrowing and returning the book at the time, stacked inside a cardboard cover. The person who borrowed the book was Charles Tinton, Cooper's maternal grandfather. He passed away in 1927 and had borrowed the book one year before his death. Tinton, a carpenter, apparently borrowed the book to make toys for Cooper's mother, his daughter. In fact, Cooper found a picture of a toy boat in the book that looked exactly like the boat her grandfather had made. A representative from Ocean County Library expressed joy, saying, "It feels like divine providence that this book returned in the year our library celebrates its 100th anniversary." The library decided to keep the returned book in the library's exhibition hall and waived any overdue fines.

Earlier, in June of last year, a book overdue for 84 years was returned in Finland, attracting attention. According to local media reports, the Helsinki Central Library Oodi announced that it had received the return of a book overdue for 84 years. The returned book was the Finnish translation of The Refugees by Arthur Conan Doyle, a master of British detective novels. The original was published in the UK in 1893, and the returned edition was published in Finland in 1925. Heini Strand, the librarian who received the book, said, "The due date was December 26, 1939," adding, "I have never received a book overdue for such a long time."

Last June, a book that was 84 years overdue was returned in Finland, attracting attention. According to local media reports at the time, Oodi, the Helsinki Central Library in Finland, announced that it had received the return of a book that was 84 years overdue. City of Helsinki

The relationship between the person who returned the book and the borrower is unknown. However, Strand said, "Books returned decades after the due date are usually found while sorting the belongings of the deceased borrower." Strand speculated that the late return was likely due to the 'Winter War' between the Soviet Union and Finland in November 1939.

The Winter War lasted until March 1940, and Finland ceded a significant portion of its territory to Russia. Strand added, "When the due date approached, returning the book might not have been the borrower's first thought," and "Even if they survived the war, they probably had other concerns besides returning the book." The library stated that the book is in very good condition and can be lent out to the public again.