Overdue Book Checked Out Before WWII Ended Is Back
A long-overdue library book has finally made its way back to the San Antonio Public Library—nearly 82 years after it was first checked out.
The book, Your Child, His Family, and Friends by family counselor Frances Bruce Strain, was originally borrowed in July 1943. It resurfaced this June, sent from Oregon by someone who discovered it among their late father’s belongings, the library announced in a news release, according to the Associated Press.
“After the recent death of my father, I inherited a few boxes of books he left behind,” wrote the sender, identified only by the initials PAAG, in a letter shared on Instagram by the library. The book, a parenting guide on children’s social development, had likely been checked out when PAAG’s father was just 11 years old.
“The book must have been borrowed by my grandmother, Maria del Socorro Aldrete Flores (Cortez),” the letter continues. “In that year, she transferred to Mexico City to work at the U.S. Embassy. She must have taken the book with her, and some 82 years later, it ended up in my possession.”
The sender added with humor: “I hope there is no late fee for it because Grandma won’t be able to pay for it anymore.”
Back in 1943, overdue fines were 3 cents per day. That would total about $900 without adjusting for inflation. But factoring in inflation, the fine would now be equivalent to over $16,000. Fortunately, the San Antonio Public Library eliminated overdue fines in 2021.
Remarkably, the book is still in good condition. It will be on display at the Central Library through August before being donated to the Friends of the San Antonio Public Library and sold to support library programs.
While 82 years is a significant delay, it doesn’t break any records. According to Guinness World Records, the most overdue library book was returned to Sidney Sussex College at the University of Cambridge in 1956—288 years after it was borrowed in 1668. No fine was charged in that case either.
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