A book has been returned to an Island library more than four decades after it was checked out.
Wilderness Living: A Complete Handbook and Guide to Pioneering in North America was borrowed from the Union Bay branch of the Vancouver Island Regional Library in 1977.
It was returned anonymously to the Courtenay branch last Monday.
The book is in excellent condition considering its extended absence from the shelves, library spokesman David Carson said.
Overdue materials for adults accrue a daily fine of 30 cents until a $10 cap is reached, which is lucky for whoever who signed it out.
“The fine would have been in excess of $4,500 without the cap,” Carson said.
He did not know if the book would go back into circulation.
The book’s subject matter “adds to the mystique of its whereabouts over the past four-plus decades,” Carson said.
Although ideally books are returned before their due date, it’s not unusual for items to be returned late, he said.
“But to have a book returned from the time when Star Wars first came out, and for it to be in such good condition, is definitely not common.”
Carson noted that the book is still being sold and is considered a valuable resource for outdoor survival.
