Finally returned: Book checked out from Finnish library in 1939 after 84 years.
Workers at a public library in Helsinki were caught off guard when they received a long-overdue copy of "The Refugees" by Arthur Conan Doyle. The Finnish translation of the English original arrived at the Helsinki Central Library Oodi on Monday, more than eight decades late, with a due date of December 26, 1939.
Accompanied by the borrower's library card, the return left staff speculating about the connection between the person returning the book and the one who first borrowed it. A librarian at the library, Heini Strand, emailed CNN about the incident: "The individual who returned the book didn't tell, and we didn't inquire, what their connection was to the original book borrower."
Strand also noted that overdue returns were a frequent occurrence, often involving items discovered amidst the belongings of a deceased relative. However, the timing of the due date raised eyebrows - December 1939 saw the commencement of the Winter War between Finland and the Soviet Union. Strand commented: "Given that the Winter War began just a month before the due date, it's unlikely that returning the library book was a top priority for the borrower."
The copy, despite its age, was in fair condition, enhancing its chances of re-circulation. Following consultation with colleagues in the Helsinki city library's main library, the book was sent to their book storage in Pasila. There, it would be evaluated for potential inclusion in their collection, allowing patrons to reserve and check it out.
While the fine for an overdue book at the Helsinki library was €6, the individual would not incur this fee due to the book's absence from their system for several decades.
Siina Tiuraniemi, a fellow librarian, told CNN that the library's main priority was promoting and facilitating reading and access to books and knowledge, rather than enforcing penalties: "This library is an extremely welcoming space, where Finnish residents enjoy and utilize libraries regularly. We don't maintain books for the purpose of guarding them. Late book returns are not a big issue here."
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The individual who returned the long-overdue book might have had a family connection to the original borrower. Due to the timing of the due date, it's possible that the borrower's travel plans or priorities were disrupted by the beginning of the Winter War.
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