Magazine 132 Years Overdue Returned to US Library
A 19th-century magazine, borrowed in 1894, has been returned to the Concord Public Library in New Hampshire.
A magazine borrowed from the Concord Public Library in New Hampshire 132 years ago has finally been returned. The September 1894 issue of The Century Illustrated Monthly Magazine was returned last week, coinciding with the library's announcement of a freeze on overdue fines.
The returned magazine was 48,220 days overdue, and without the fine freeze, the accrued penalty would have been $12,055.
The individual who returned the magazine, identified only as John, stated that the item had been in his possession for decades, though he was uncertain how it came to be in his home. He decided to return it after reading about the library's fine freeze initiative in a local newspaper.
Concord Public Library announced a year-long amnesty on overdue fines beginning September 1, 2026, as part of an evaluation of a "fine-free library" system. The library noted on Facebook that while they anticipated the return of long-overdue items, the arrival of a book from the late 19th century was unexpected.
The library indicated that the historic magazine would not be placed back into general circulation but may be displayed in the Concord Room, a section dedicated to the library's local history. The patron will not be required to pay the substantial overdue fine.