He never told a lie, as the story goes. So maybe if he were alive today, President George Washington could tell a New York City library what he did with two books he checked out 221 years ago.
The two books — weighty discourses on international relations and parliamentary debates — were checked out on October 5, 1789. They were due on November 2, 1789, but weren’t brought back.
Since then, they’ve been steadily collecting a fine of a few cents each day, adding up to more than $4,000 by the New York Society Library’s informal estimate.
“I’m sorry, math is not my thing at all,” said Jane Goldstein, the assistant head librarian when asked to hazard a guess.
The fine at the time was 2 pence a day. Now, it’s 15 cents — “It’s really gone up, hasn’t it?” she quipped.
The library first learned of the missing books when it discovered a yellowed ledger in its basement
It listed all the people who had checked out books from the city’s oldest library between July 1789 and April 1792.
Next to the works “Law of Nations” and the 12th volume of “Common Debates” was the name of the person who checked them out: “President.”
The library is not so concerned about the fine as it is about each book.
SOURCE: CNN
Linda
1 year ago
Check the next ledger. I'm sure he returned them and paid the fine! L