Overdue Book Returned Late – 49 Years Times 2 Cents a Day

An overdue book was returned 49 years late to the University of Dayton library by a former student who racked up a late fee estimated at $350, according to WVXU-FM Public Radio, but the fine will be waived.

James Phillips, who lives in Minnesota, recently sent a letter to library with the book "History of the Crusaders." 

"Please accept my apologies for the absence of the enclosed book 'History of the Crusades,'" said Phillips' note. "I apparently checked it out when I was a freshman student and somehow it got misplaced all these years."

Phillips said he joined the Marine Corps in 1967 after checking out the book and never returned to the university. His parents had possession of his belongings and when they died his brother received them by mistake.

"He eventually realized the error and to my great surprise I received a box of goods from him," Phillips said a University of Dayton news release. "Lo and behold! Among those items in the box was the 'History of the Crusades' book."

The college said that back in 1967 if a student kept an item for 14 days they faced being fined two cents a day, which would make Phillips late fee about $350. 

"It was interesting to see a book that had no evidence of our modern technology returned," said Katy Kelly, University of Dayton communications and outreach librarian, adding that there was no record that the book was missing.

"It still has the old borrowing card stamped with dates back to 1950. It was very thoughtful of him to do this because not everyone would choose to return it after so long," Kelly said.

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