Whitley Bay: Overdue library book returned 56 years late

Lesley Harrison with the German language textbook she took out in April 1966

A woman who kept an overdue library book for more than half a century has finally returned it 56 years later.

Lesley Harrison, 70, was just 14 when she borrowed Ich Lerne Deutsch while studying for a German O-Level at Whitley Bay Grammar School in 1966.

It should have been handed back within 21 days to avoid a fine of 3d (three pence) per week.

Mrs Harrison might have owed more than £2,000 had North Tyneside Council not abolished late return fees last year.

The former civil servant, who once considered becoming a librarian, took out the textbook from Whitley Bay library in April 1966 - just weeks before England's World Cup win.

She returned it to Killingworth Library in December after learning that late charges had been scrapped.

Never paid a fine

"When I heard about the amnesty, I thought 'I'm sure I've got an old book lying around somewhere,' and I know the library staff were shocked and amused when I brought it in," said Mrs Harrison, from Shiremoor.

"I knew I hadn't taken the book back and when I moved out of my parents' house, I thought I wouldn't be able to afford the fine, so it stayed in a drawer.

"We moved around a lot, but it always came with me.

"I got married in '74 and we moved away," she added.

"It's still in a good condition though. I do look after my books."

Mrs Harrison has an otherwise unblemished book-borrowing record and has never been late returning a book since she returned to North Tyneside from Chester-Le-Street, County Durham.

"We came back in 2013 and since then I've been very good at bringing books back; I don't think I've ever paid a fine. I've been scrupulous to bring the books back or renew them online."

The third loan of Whitley Bay Libraries' copy of 'Ich Lerne Deutsch' proved to be a lengthy one

The council decided to scrap fines for overdue books to encourage more people into its buildings by "removing financial barriers". It also saw historic fines waived.

Councillor Sandra Graham, cabinet member responsible for libraries, said: "Just for fun, we did a rough calculation of the late fee that a book 56 years overdue could have incurred and it would have come to more than £2,000.

"We've had such a positive response to our decision to scrap fines and this is the oldest book we've had back by some distance. Better late than never!"

The book will now be stored in the council's archives.

"I was doing O-Level German at Whitley Bay Grammar School and went on to do A-Level German, as well as French, and I later taught myself Spanish," Mrs Harrison recalled.

"I don't remember very many words of German now."