09/23/2026
Talk about an overdue library book! πA book recently returned to a library in Australia was an estimated 150 YEARS overdue. Antiquities of Athens, published in 1858, was discovered during a home renovation inside a tea crate that had been bricked into a sealed fireplace.
Even better? Based on the library's original overdue fee, the fine would be around $19,500 today. Luckily, the library isn't looking to collect.
The 167-year-old book will now have a permanent home in the library's local history collection. And this time, it's not available for checkout. π
What's the longest you've ever kept a library book past its due date?