A book checked out from a Louisiana library 84 years ago was recently returned by the son of the woman who borrowed it as an 11-year-old girl.
Spoon River Anthology is a collection of free verse poetry narrated from the viewpoint of dead people of a fictional town. The book, by Edgar Lee Masters, was published in 1915.
A patron's mother, then an 11-year old girl, checked out a first edition version of the book April 14, 1934, according to a Facebook post by the Shreve Memorial Library.
The son, who has not been named, returned the book Sunday with a note indicating the family found it while cleaning his mother’s house.
“We thought that the title was appropriately spooky to turn up again after all this time right around Halloween,” the library posted in a comment on Facebook.
The library said the book is in pretty rough shape, not worth much and has been decommissioned. The library said a book and audiobook version of it are available. Still, because of the attention the book has received since being returned, officials have nicknamed it “celebrity” and have plans for it.
The fine?
$3, the maximum charge for overdue books, and that was waived.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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