For one Bucks County reader, more than 40 years passed between checking out a book and returning it to the Bucks County Free Library.

“Protecting Our Environment”, Volume 42, Number 1, edited by Grant S. McClellan, found its way back to the Yardley-Makefield branch of Bucks County Free Library on May 12, which is 44 years after it was originally checked out. The book was originally due on June 13, 1979.

“You can imagine how surprised we were to receive this book in the mail, along with the card showing when it was first checked out,” says Pat Hartman, manager of the Yardley-Makefield branch, which opened its doors in 1977. “Needless to say, this book is no longer in our catalog!”

The book was returned anonymously with a $100 donation and a note thanking the library for helping the world learn.

“We’re here to help Bucks County access knowledge, entertainment, and community,” Hartman says.

“Over the years, library offerings and locations have evolved. What we read about and how we read has evolved. But providing access to valuable resources – for free – has remained a constant.”

Learn more at the Bucks County Free Library.

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