55-Year Overdue Book Returned To Fair Lawn Library

FAIR LAWN, NJ — A man returned a book to the Memorial Middle School library a bit late Thursday. About 55 years too late.

A man went into the school a few days before Valentine's Day and spoke to a police officer there. He said he had something to return.

Vice Principal Dominick Tarquinio spoke with the man, who had a 1961 copy of "The Family Book of Verse" by Lewis Gannett. He borrowed the book from the school's library in 1964.

Tarquinio said the man received late notices about the book, but never thought to return it. He found the book while cleaning out his basement recently.

"He was a very active lacrosse player and wrestler when he was a student here, and he took the book out because he had a rich interest in poetry back then," Tarquinio said. "Instead of putting it in a slot, he felt like he should actually bring the book in. He felt guilty."

The fine, if assessed at .10 cents a day, would come out to slightly more than $2,000, but Tarquinio said the man will not be assessed a fine.

"We're not interested in a fine," Tarquinio said.

The book is in good condition and will be put back into circulation. It was made before bar codes were invented. The original borrowing slip was still inside the book.

Tarquino invited the man back to the school to speak to the students about how different life was for children when he was growing up.

"It's a great lesson for our students, to see that even though someone made a mistake of returning a book in the past, there's always time to make a correction," Tarquinio said. "It goes hand in hand with our character program. It ended on a very happy note."

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com