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Overdue library book finally returned — after 41 years

"The Real Book About Snakes" has finally been returned to Champaign County Library in Urbana, Illinois — 41 years overdue.

The library posted a photo of the long-lost book with the note and cash that accompanied it on Facebook.

"Sorry I've kept this book for so long, but I'm a really slow reader!" wrote the anonymous book-borrower. "I’ve enclosed my fine of $299.30 (41 years, 2 cents a day). Once again, my apologies.”

"41 years to the day, we got the checkout stamp on the inside cover due July 17, 1972 and so he included 2 cents per day overdue fine payment," library director Ty Henderson told 2 NEWS.

"He didn't like just like return it and not pay, he paid the money. That's awesome. That's honesty. He didn't throw it to the wind and say oh it's 41 years, they're not going to know."

Currently, $280,935 in overdue fines is owed to the library.

According to Henderson, "It's never too late to return those overdue items."

In February, a book was returned to the New York Public Library 55 years after being signed out. With the book was a $100 cheque.

And in March, an Estonian man returned a library book 69 years late. His excuse? World War II. The library waived all late charges.