Maidenhead Library 'shocked' as man returns book 25 years overdue

A Maidenhead man shocked library staff on Tuesday by returning a book 25 years too late.

Patrick Edwards was a 19-year-old student when he borrowed a copy of The Portable Plato in 1997. It was due back on October 11 of that year, but never made it.

“I read about three pages and put it to one side – it was very dry, very hard going,” Patrick said. “I still haven’t read it. I kept thinking, ‘I should take that back,’ but never got around to it.”

There it sat in his mother’s house in Maidenhead while Patrick moved all around the country throughout his life.

Then Patrick – now back in Maidenhead – saw a story on the BBC about a man who returned his book after 83 years – and was finally galvanised to take a trip to the Maidenhead library.

“The guy [at the library] was a bit shocked. He couldn’t find it on the system because they didn’t have a computerised system all those years ago.

“He found me because I have an Advantage Card but no books [registered] to me.”

The library overdue fine is set at 28p a day – which would technically have made Patrick’s fee a whopping £2,560 – though mercifully, the library has a £10.50 fine cap.

Nonetheless, the library waived the modest fine, since there was no record of him ever having taken out a book.

Now back home, the book can be cycled back into circulation after its long stay away.

“They asked me if I wanted to take out another book – I declined,” said Patrick. “I would be 70 before they got it back again.”