New York Public Library Receives Book 54 Years After it Was Due

Posted on August 4, 2014

Billy Parrott, the managing librarian of the Mid-Manhattan branch's Library, Art and Picture Collections in New York City, recently revealed in the library's blog that the library just received a really overdue library book in the mail. The book was mailed from Arizona and has been outstanding since August 17, 1959.

That is a very overdue library book, by almost 54 years. The book had a note enclosed which noted that the family had found the book among his or her late brother-in-law's things after he died. The overdue book was Ideal Marriage by Th.H.Van de Velde, MD. It was written by Dr. Velde in 1926 and contained thorough and scientific instructions for achieving a happy marriage -- starting in the bedroom. Apparently, there are detailed, graphic illustrations of Dr. Velde's suggestions for how to keep one's wife happy.

The book was returned with an anonymous note of explanation and a comment. The anonymous returner of books explained, "Funny thing is the book didn't support his efforts with his first (and only) marriage...it failed! No wonder he hid the book!" The note apologized for the delay and was signed "A Shocked In-law."

Mr. Parrott pondered the question of why people are so embarrassed to return overdue library books, wondering if it was due to shame. Or perhaps it's all Jerry Seinfeld's fault. In one Seinfeld episode Jerry is compelled to return an overdue copy of Tropic of Cancer.

In that episode Jerry visits the New York Public Library where he is recognized by the Library Detective, known as Bookman. Jerry returned the book in 1971, but he didn't pay the fine and Bookman goes to Jerry's apartment to read him the riot act. It's one of the funniest scenes in the entire series. Seinfeld later said they had to cut the scenes up quite a bit as he simply could not keep a straight face during Philip Baker Hall's amazing tirade. You can see the clip on Youtube. And yes, it probably has made millions of people very wary of returning overdue books to the New York Public Library.