Cape Town: We’re on cloud nine when some long-lost thing is found back. Something similar has happened recently in the city library. The library book has found its way back after 24 years.
Reportedly, the City of Cape Town has observed the latest Fine Free Week, as an amnesty period where patrons can return the overdue items without paying the accrued penalties. It had librarians at the Central Library stumped, when a book was originally due for return on March 08, 2001.
The person who borrowed the book moved extensively somewhere else, both locally and internationally and discovered the book while sorting through stored belongings and decided to return it during the fine free week of the library.
Strangely, the book is no longer listed on the current library system, so there is no record of it, except the date sheet in the book.
Member of the Mayoral Committee for Community Services and Health – Councillor Francine Higham said that this is a historic return as it is the arguably one of the oldest books to find its way back during Fine Free Week. It is not a lost on them that the book itself is historical in nature.
While it is still usable and restoration is not an option. The patron has offered to buy the book and should not be returned to the library’s shelves.
Notably, over 40,000 overdue items are valued at over R4.6 million, 13,178 items which found their way back to the shelves and were valued at just over R1.6 million.
According to Francine Higham, they are grateful to everyone who took the advantage of the amnesty period to return library material. She thanked for heeding the call. She also expressed that she wants to encourage the patrons to return anything that is still past the due date.
Moreover, the fines for overdue material are modest as compared to the replacement cost, so try to do the right thing. The fully stocked libraries benefit everyone, said Higham. Various wayward Wimpy Kids also found their way back home. The series, by the author – Jeff Kinney dominated the list of outstanding items each year.
The Library service is ready to host a few more Fine Free weeks throughout the year, which will hopefully yield some more overdue returns.
Considerably, for now, they have shifted their focus to the upcoming school holidays. The libraries will offer a range of activities to keep young minds engaged and entertained.