Shakespeare Book That Was Over 100 Years Overdue Is Finally Returned to New Jersey Library

Mar. 15, 2025

Paterson Free Public Library.Photo:Google Maps

Google Maps

In general, an overdue library book is a pretty common occurrence — however, one that has been overdue for an entire century is definitely outside of the norm.

When Cynthia Delhaie realized that her grandmother, Arlene Delhaie, had kept the Shakespeare book for so many years, she decided to finally return it to its rightful location at the Paterson Public Library.

“I happened to open that one, and I saw the card inside, and I said, ‘This is a library book,’ ” Delhaie said in an interview withThe New York Times. Surprisingly, the last person to check out the book wasn’t Delhaie’s grandmother at all, but rather a woman named Lillian L. Burns. Both Burns and how the book came into Delhaie’s grandmother’s possession remain a mystery.

Shakespeare’sLife of King Henry the Fifth.Paterson Public Library

Paterson Public Library

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Upon receiving the rare find, Paterson Public Library director, Corey Fleming,saidthat while the overdue nature of the book was out of the ordinary, the library welcomed it all the same. “It’s never too late to return overdue library materials. This is the first time I have encountered something like this in over 20 years of working in this field."

The library decided to waive the overdue late fees of the book and void any other penalties. “We’re going to preserve it in our history room or in a museum,” Flemingaddedwhen speaking withThe New York Times.

Representatives from the Paterson Public Library did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

The LFLP noted that the family could have incurred about $7,800 in fines with inflation, but the library recently transitioned to being fine-free to “encourage people to return long overdue materials.”

“We don’t have overdue fines anymore,” branch manager Kate Leitner toldWHAS11. “Nobody’s in trouble. We’re just so happy that they brought the books back. It makes it very special to hear their story, but also for their family to get together like this and celebrate the memories.”

source: people.com