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Book returned to library - more than half a century after it was borrowed 20 August 2010 A LIBRARY book that is overdue by a few days is nothing new to Sandra Henderson and her team at the Department of Education and Children’s Mobile Library. After all, with an on-board stock of 3,000 titles and 33,000 more in storage, the odd title is bound to be temporarily mislaid by its borrower.  However, librarian in charge Sandra was surprised to open a parcel recently containing a book issued by the Rural Library in the 1950s. The worn and faded copy of The Loughsiders was discovered by 90-year-old Philip Leonard when he was clearing shelves at his home in Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland. Uncertain which library would lay claim to it, Mr Leonard posted it to Manx National Heritage, whose librarian, Alan Franklin, wrote back thanking him and forwarded the book on to Sandra at Noble’s Hall, where the Mobile Library is based. Mr Leonard wrote that the book, by Shan F. Bullock, was borrowed from an Isle of Man library by a relative, Kevin Leonard, while he was training to be a nurse in the Island. ‘I am sure Kevin intended to return the book in the 1950s but it got lost among other, old books and lay hidden all these years,’ Mr Leonard wrote. ‘I hope you will see it returned to its rightful owner.’ A further exchange of correspondence between Sandra and Philip Leonard revealed that Kevin went on to qualify as a nurse tutor and examiner. He passed the book – about a Protestant community living on the shores of Lough Erne in County Fermanagh – to its most recent guardian many years ago and it lay among his collection for a long time. Having saved it from the skip, Philip Leonard finally read it before returning it and said: ‘The book is a classic, beautifully written, a shrewd insight into the lives of small farm people of the time.’ Sadly, Kevin Leonard died in Dublin in 2004. Sandra was able to inform Philip Leonard that the book won an award from publisher Harrap for being ‘rich in humour and humanity, depicting Northern Ireland before the revolution’. Even though the book was long overdue, no fines were incurred as the Mobile Library does not charge fines. ‘This book was obviously very popular in its day as it was regularly borrowed for 30 years before it travelled to Ireland. Having been overdue since the 1950s, it must be our longest overdue book ever recorded,’ Sandra said. ‘Libraries in those days kept books and issued them for many years. A first edition of Catherine Cookson’s 1965 title Mary Ann’s Angels that we still have was issued 310 times before it settled on the shelves in 1988, after which it only came out for requests due to its well-read condition. ‘People appreciate the benefit of borrowing books from a library whatever their condition.’ PHOTO: Sandra Henderson, librarian in charge of the Mobile Library, with the newly returned copy of The Loughsiders The Mobile Library operates over 10 routes, visiting each location fortnightly. A smaller vehicle is used to reach locations the larger vehicle can’t access. There is also a service for the housebound. Annual membership of the Mobile Library costs £15 for adults and £2 for juniors. For more information, email s.henderson@doe.sch.im, ring 01624 673123 or visit the library page on the DEC’s website. More stories >>>
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