Man Returns 132-Year-Old Magazine, Dodges $12,000 Fine
An elderly New Hampshire man returned a magazine to a local library that was 132 years overdue, avoiding a substantial fine thanks to a recently implemented fine freeze.
A Concord, New Hampshire library has seen an unusual return: a September 1894 issue of "The Century Illustrated Monthly Magazine." The magazine, which had been checked out for over 130 years, was brought back by 84-year-old John Hanson.
Hanson had the magazine in his home for decades. Upon seeing a local news report about the Concord Public Library freezing its late fees, he decided it was the opportune moment to return the historical periodical. "Yeah, when I saw that, I said to myself, ‘Boy, this would be a good time to bring it back,’" Hanson told NBC News.
If not for the fine freeze, Hanson would have owed $12,055 in late fees. The magazine is now 48,220 days overdue. The Concord Public Library noted on social media, "We’ve witnessed many happy faces since announcing our fine freeze! Of course, we expected long overdue books to be returned, but certainly not something from the late 19th century!"
The 132-year-old magazine will not be returned to circulation. John Hanson is a resident of Barrington, New Hampshire. The Concord Public Library is located in Concord, New Hampshire.