Happy National Library Week April 19-25, 2026

A library book that is 50+ years overdue is a common trope in books and movies. Though it is not common here, the library recently (and happily) received an overdue book that was checked out for 56 years.

This image of the check-out slip for the overdue book shows that it was checked out in 1970.

Guinness world record for the most years that a returned library book had been overdue is 288 years.