A book that was borrowed from a library during World War II has been returned 81 years later, along with a note saying it was not worth reading.

Staff at the Timberland Regional Library (TRL) were in for a huge surprise when a person walked in and brought back a book that was due on 30th March, 1942.

The book titled ‘The Bounty Trilogy’ by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hail from 1932, even held a written card among the pages saying: “I wouldn’t read this book if I was paid to.”

The person who returned the book – identity not disclosed – said it had recently been found in a family storage unit.

Meanwhile, the amazed librarians calculated that the patron would have owed a total of USD 484 (GBP 385) in late fees according to the 1942 charge of two cents per day, Sundays and holidays excluded.

However, the library had cancelled late fees during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The library said in a Facebook post from Wednesday (7th June): “Well this one might be a record. Yesterday, the Aberdeen Timberland Library received a return that was 81 years overdue.

“However, since the library has eliminated overdue fines, if this patron were to have returned this book today, no fines would be collected!

“In case you’re interested, the first book in the trilogy, ‘Mutiny on the Bounty’ is still in circulation today in the TRL collection.”

They concluded by saying: “The moral of this story? If you have an overdue book collecting dust – return it to the library. We’ll take it back, and the bounty will be considered paid.”

The post received hundreds of reactions on Facebook, leaving amused netizens unable to resist commenting.

User ‘Roshea Schouviller’ said: “Wow! Glad the Library got it back. It’s a Vintage book. Put it on Display.”

Then ‘Sally Annette Cote’ commented: “Wonder if the person who checked out went to war or something. It’s dated WW2.”

And ‘Tenney Coulon Singer’ added: “That is a classic! Love that book. My copy is not that old, but has the old illustrations.”