A man in Vermont has found himself in an interesting situation. He located an extremely overdue library book — but now has nowhere to return the book.
Garry Dufour of North Rupert, Vermont, was going through his great aunt Madeline’s former belongings recently when he made the startling discovery of an overdue library book that was due back in 1962.
The book, “Love Songs,” by Sara Teasdale, was more than 60 years overdue.
It had been checked out from the College of St. Rose’s library, Dufour told Fox News Digital in a phone conversation.
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Interestingly, his aunt’s name was not listed as the borrower — and while she had attended the College of St. Rose, she was there several decades before the book was checked out.
It is unclear how she acquired the book — something Dufour said was “spooky.”
A man recently found a library book at his great aunt’s house that was due back in 1962 — but as the library is closing, the book needs a new home. (iStock)
Dufour told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that he’d cleaned out his great aunt’s house in Lake George, New York, after she died about two decades ago.
At the time, he did not notice the long-overdue book.
He only discovered the book after hearing news reports that the College of St. Rose, located in Albany, New York, was going to be closing at the end of the year.
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Dufour remembered that he had some of his great aunt’s textbooks from the College of St. Rose dating back from the turn of the 20th century, and decided to look through them, he said.
It was only then that he found “Love Songs” — and realized what a strange discovery the book was.
In December, the school announced it would be closing at the conclusion of the academic year, in June 2024, meaning that Dufour has nowhere to return the book.
The College of St. Rose announced in December that it would be closing at the end of the 2023 academic year. (Lori Van Buren/Albany Times Union via Getty Images)
“It is with a heavy heart that the Board decided to close the college at the end of this academic year,” Jeffrey D. Stone, chair of the college’s board of trustees, which voted to close the school on Thursday, said in a statement on Friday, Dec. 1.
“The Board determined that the College does not have the financial resources to operate for the full 2024-2025 academic year and therefore cannot remain a standalone institution.”
Stone continued, “We are devastated that despite all our efforts we were unable to avoid closure. Our goal now is to ease the transition for our students, faculty and staff.”
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With the school closing soon, Dufour told Fox News Digital he is not sure where his aunt’s books will end up.
He said that after he contacted the College of St. Rose’s library about the overdue book, he understood he would hear back from the library shortly.
This story marked the second time a person had discovered a long-overdue book of poetry at a great aunt’s house in less than a month. (iStock)
This is the second time in about a month that a long-overdue library book of poetry has been discovered at a great aunt’s house.
In February, a man in Ohio discovered the book “Heart Throbs” at his great aunt’s house.
The book had been due back at the library in 1931.
The Licking County Library shared the post on its social media feeds, saying it had taken the book back – with no late fees.
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Christine Rousselle is a lifestyle reporter with Fox News Digital.
