PLYMOUTH, Pa. — A book checked out a half-century ago has been anonymously returned to a library in northeastern Pennsylvania, officials said.<\/p>\n
The Wilkes-Barre Citizens’ Voice reports that the 1967 copy of \u201cCoins You Can Collect” by Burton Hobson arrived last month at the Plymouth Public Library in Luzerne County along with a $20 bill.<\/p>\n
An accompanying unsigned letter, written as if by the book itself, said \u201cFifty years ago (yes 50!), a little girl checked me out of this library in 1971. At this time, she didn’t know they were going to move from Plymouth. Back then, kids weren’t told things like that.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs you can see, she took very good care of me,” the letter continued, explaining that it was packed away often for frequent moves but was \u201calways with many other books.”<\/p>\n
The writer, speaking in her own voice rather than as the book, then says she often intended to send the book back but somehow never got around to it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis became a running joke in my family. Each time we moved, they always asked me if I packed \u2018the Plymouth Book,\u2019\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n
The letter writer said she knew the $20 wouldn\u2019t come close to paying the accrued fine, but suggested \u201cPerhaps you can pay off some fines of some kids with it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Library director Laura Keller said she did just that, paying \u201csome hefty fines” of a young mother who wanted to start borrowing books again. Borrowing privileges at the library are suspended if fines exceed $5, she said.<\/p>\n
Both letter and book will soon be on display at the library, Keller said. The writer’s identity remains a mystery, although she said her family and friends would know the story was about her if it was published in a local newspaper.<\/p>\n