81-year-old woman returns grandpa’s library book 99 years overdue fearing $18,000 fine—but staff's response stunned her
One of the worst fears adults have is to have piled-up payments and overbearing dues to pay. Being responsible for clearing their parents’ or ancestors’ dues is something no adult is prepared for. 81-year-old Mary Cooper was worried that she would have to pay the dues of a book her grandfather, Charles Tilton, borrowed from Ocean County Library system in New Jersey, per CNN. While it seems trivial, the book had been borrowed for 99 years, and the dues amounted to $18,000. Hoping to do right and return the book, Cooper wondered how she would afford the amount. However, the library’s response stunned her.
Cooper was going through her late mom’s belongings when she stumbled upon a book titled “Home-Made Toys for Girls and Boys” by A. Neely Hall. “I was looking through the books and found one about (building) toys for boys and girls. I thought, ‘That’s a neat book. Maybe my son would like it — he loves to build things,’” she recalled. However, Cooper soon realized that the book was not theirs, but was borrowed from a library by her grandfather in March 1926. She believed Tilton may have borrowed the book to make toys for his daughter, Cooper’s mom. Unfortunately, he passed away a year after checking out the book and it has remained in their home ever since.
81-year-old Cooper did not know much about her late grandfather but knew that he loved building boats and other simple items. When she came across the book, she pondered over it and decided that “it belonged to the library.” “I thought, I don’t have grandchildren and my kids are getting older. Even if my son took it, I didn’t know what they’d do with it,” she said. “Mary had said, ‘You're going to want to take a look at this. You know, it's 99 years late, but this book is in great shape,’” Sherri Taliercio, the Ocean County Library’s spokesperson, said. “And then she goes, ‘Oh my God, this book is almost 100 years old. Don’t move. Don’t go anywhere,’” Cooper recounted.
The worker was stunned to receive the book and noted that with inflation and the overdue, the fine would amount to $18,000, per 6abc Philadelphia. However, Cooper finding the book 99 years later was one of the most coincidental things. The library marked 100 years of its existence in the very same year that Cooper brought back the book. “What a serendipitous thing to happen, that during our 100th year is when this book got returned. Divine intervention, it really is,” Taliercio noted. Keeping that in mind and owing to their new policy, Cooper had no fines to pay. “We’re fine-free, which makes it even more easy and accessible for people to enjoy the library,” the employee remarked.
What was initially thought to be a financially dreadful situation turned out to become a wholesome and brilliant one. Going through the book, the duo realized that the image of a boat on a page resembles the one Cooper’s late grandpa made for his daughter years ago. The 81-year-old supposed that it was why her mum held a special connection with the book. The book has received its own fame. “At least 10 people came over and wanted to see the book and touch it,” Tarliercio mentioned. “It’s finally in its home for years to come,” she added.