A librarian has been left in stitches after a man returned a book overdue by a whopping 44 years. The team at Abilene Public Library in Texas, America, have "welcomed home" a copy of Chiton's Auto Repair Manual 1954 - 1963 after it was signed out in the late 1970s.
It would have cost the reader a $1,606 (£1,304.81) fine if they hadn't gone "fine free" in recent years. Taking to Facebook, a team member wrote: "Welcome home! Before there were barcodes and scanning and RFID tags, there were cards with pockets. This little nugget found it's way back to the Abilene Public Library, after being checked out by the Water Department 44 years ago!
"That's right - this book was 16,060 days overdue, and would have come with a fine of $1,606 in late fees. Pretty great we've gone fine free."
They went on to ask their 7,500 followers 'how long overdue have you been with a library item" to see whether anybody can beat the Water Department.
While none of their members have come close to this record, readers in other parts of the world have confessed to accidentally keeping a library book well over five decades.
Pensioner David Hickman was just 17 when he borrowed The Law for Motorists in 1964 after being involved in a car accident.
Unfortunately, he crashed into the town mayor's car when waving to a group of teenagers from Dudley High School for Girls, in the West Midlands, England.
He was arrested and charged a £7 fine at Magistrates Court - which is about £175 in today's money - despite trying to brush up on the law to defend himself in court.
After the ordeal, he forgot all about his library book and it ended up in the back of his cupboard drawer.
But now at aged 76, David decided to do the right thing and return his overdue book, which has been costing him a 20p late fee per day since the 1960s.
The library could have charged him a whopping £42,340 for returning the book 58 years late - but they decided to waiver the fee after hearing his amusing story.
Do you have a story to share? Email paige.freshwater@reachplc.com.
