Vancouver library receives book after 51 years; netizens say 'better late than never'

Let it be any corner of the world, bookworms will be, for sure, in possession of a massive collection of books - fiction or non-fiction depending on tastes. Many reading enthusiasts would prefer to 'own' a particular book over renting them out of libraries and later going through the hassles of returning them. Owning a book finds preference above renting it because at times, some might wish to re-read a specific book after having read it once and at such times, the book being in close proximity works to the best. What if we tell you that a person was so crazy about a specific book that he returned it to a library after decades? In a bizarre incident, a book was returned to Canada's Vancouver public library a decade after its original due date of being borrowed.

The incident was brought to the light by Vancouver public library on its Instagram handle wherein they shared the image of a book that was returned to them after 51 years in the same condition with an emotional note inside.

The caption of the post read, "For your library, very sorry it's a bit late. '51 Years' but in very nice condition. Thank you". The photo of the book was shared on June 7, with the caption, "Such a sweet note in this book returned to our South Hill Branch *slightly* overdue (51 years!)."

The note further stated that no late fees will be charged. It further read, "With our recent removal of late fees… they won’t get charged a cent for their late return! Eliminating fines = greater access to all. Link in our bio for more details". The book titled 'The Telescope' has been written by Harry Edward Neil, according to the image shared by the Vancouver Public Library of South Hill. The last due date stamped on a card inside the book is April 20, 1971. Furthermore, in the picture, the stamp above a receipt suggests that an overdue fine of 5 cents was applicable at the time.

Netizens say, 'That’s amazing!'

The trending news has garnered traction on social media and has garnered many likes on Instagram. The viral pic has left people in amusement and has prompted many to express their views, "Better late than never, indeed!", a user wrote. The second user wrote, "The guilt is real". The third user said, "Hope this reader now has a PhD in something, eh!?".

Image: Instagram/@vancouverpubliclibrary