A library book borrowed in 1955 has at last designed its way again to the Point out Library of Victoria, in what senior librarian Tom Vasey described as a “big surprise”.

The e book, A Historical past of Malvern, was a staggering 24,853 days overdue when Graeme Coulson designed the sudden return on June 8.   

Mr Coulson identified the book although clearing out his late mother’s home in Echuca.

“I’ve only been at the library for a couple of a long time, but I’d never ever listened to of this happening ahead of so I was not sure what to do,” Mr Vasey reported.

“When Graeme came up to the ‘ask a librarian desk’ indicating he experienced a guide to return, I was completely ready to clarify that we are a investigate and reference library and why you just cannot get books out of the creating.” 

It was a huge surprise to learn that this e-book was from the former lending collection and had been on bank loan for virtually 70 years.

Mr Coulson’s mom, a historian who died previous 12 months at the age of 103, was a frequent visitor to the library.

Mr Vasey stated on inspecting the book, he was fascinated to see the lending library’s slips in the again conveying the principles for borrowing in the 1950s. 

“It displays that it is not just the articles of guides that inform tales, this reserve also captures element of the library’s heritage and Helen’s relationship to the library as properly.”

And to Mr Coulson’s relief, the library was forgiving in not issuing a penalty for the book’s late return, which, if calculated currently, would be estimated at just beneath $12,000. •

Caption: Senior librarian Tom Vasey with A Record of Malvern, which was 24,853 times overdue at the Condition Library of Victoria. Photograph: Marcela Lehocka.