By Brad Dison
Public libraries are important to our communities because they provide free access to all the world’s recorded knowledge. Public libraries promote education and literacy in safe and welcoming environments to people of all ages, backgrounds, and social class. We, as citizens, have a responsibility to return the books we borrow by a set date, or we will face the shame of returning an overdue book.
In April 2010, Mark Bartlett, head librarian at the New York Society Library, noticed that two books checked out by the same person had not been returned. According to the library records, George checked out two books on October 5, and the books were due back on November 2. On October 15, ten days after checking out the books, George had to travel for work. He was a salesman of sorts who was trying to rally support for an idea rather than a tangible product. He referred to it as a promotional tour. He left New York City and, over the next two weeks, visited factories and farms in nearly 60 towns in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. George, then 57 years old, hoped the trip would improve his health. He had gotten sick during the summer and was not recovering as quickly as he had expected.
The fines on George’s overdue books began accruing on November 3. When George returned to New York on November 13, he failed to return the books. Perhaps his health did not improve as he had hoped. Perhaps he was exhausted by the whirlwind trip. Maybe he simply forgot. When the head librarian learned of the overdue books, he sent a letter to George’s home address about the overdue books. But there was a problem. By the time the library learned of the overdue books, George had died. In their correspondence with James Rees, representative of George’s estate, Mark asked if they could try to locate the overdue books. Mark explained, “We’re not actively pursuing the overdue fines, but we would be very happy if we were able to get the books back.”
Despite his best efforts, James was unable to locate the books. As a last resort to rectify the situation, James decided to replace the books. But there was another problem. The books had become rare. In May 2010, James found a copy of one of the overdue books, The Law of Nations, on a rare books website, made the purchase, and gave it to the library. The price of replacing just that one overdue library book was $12,000. James is still searching for a copy of the other overdue book. $12,000 is a huge sum to pay to replace a library book, but the representative of George’s estate got off light. Had the library not been so forgiving, the fines would have totaled around $300,000.
You see, in April 2010, the librarian learned that the books were overdue by 221 years. They had been checked out on October 5 and were due back on November 2, 1789. George, the salesman who traveled throughout New England, was rallying support for the United States Constitution. On the ledger which recorded the name of the person who checked out the books was written by quill and ink, not George, but “President.” George Washington had been President of the United States for less than six months when he checked the books out.
Sources:
1. Ed Pilkington, “Fine owed by George Washington for overdue library books now $300,000,” The Guardian, April 18, 2010, accessed May 11, 2025, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/apr/18/george-washington-library-new-york.
2. Catherine Treesh, “New England Tour,” MountVernon.org, accessed May 11, 2025, https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/new-england-tour#:~:text=George%20Washington%20went%20on%20his,%2C%20Massachusetts%2C%20and%20New%20Hampshire..
3. “George Washington’s 221-year overdue library book: A timeline,” The Week, updated January 8, 2015, accessed May 11, 2025, https://theweek.com/articles/494173/george-washingtons-221year-overdue-library-book-timeline.
