As a 13-year-old boy, Chuck Hildebrand checked a book out of his local library. Now, 50 years later he has tried to return the book to the same library, incredibly overdue.
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Picking up a copy of Baseball's Zaniest Stars in 1974, Hildebrand took the book home to enjoy, planning on returning it before the fines kicked in. However, sometimes tasks like these can slip the mind. It was 50 years later that he found the overdue book and decided to return it to the library.
He spoke about how he rediscovered the relic from his childhood. "You throw them in a box and go. But five or six years ago, I was going through the bookshelf and there was a Dewey decimal library number on the book. What is this?" He pulled the dusty tome from his collection and found the library card in the front.
The library was still somehow standing, and he wasn't too far away from it either. He decided to return the overdue book to the Warren, Michigan library. However, it was too late, and there wasn't a place for the long-lost book.
The director of the library said "Some people never come back to face the music. But there was really no music to face because he and the book were erased from our system." Both the book and the thief had been wiped. I imagine, that in the 50 years since the book was taken out, there have been some drastic changes to the systems they use.
A Huge Fine For The Overdue Book
Despite Chuck Hildebrand being given a get-out-of-jail-free card for his overdue book, he wants to make reparations. He has estimated that his library fine would come to around $4,564, so that is what he plans to pay back.
He has started up a charity fund, kicking it off himself with a $457 payment. Now, he hopes to raise the rest of the money with donations. The GoFundMe is looking to raise the rest and give it to the Reading is Fundamental charity. This group looks to connect children with the joys of reading and make it accessible for all.
Better late than never, I guess.
