Book returned to the St. Joseph Public Library after 54 years

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. -- Following the recent announcement of getting rid of fees on overdue books, the St. Joseph Public Library received a copy of “Sir Gibbie” that was checked out almost 54 years ago.

“There was a package on my desk. When I opened it up, I noticed that it had come from California, and there was no note, no documentation or anything. I thought it was curious, because there was no barcode on the book,” said Joseph Sipocz, a St. Joseph Public Library manager.

Since the library changed its checkout system to use barcodes in 1986, Sipocz said there is no real way to determine who checked out and returned the book.

“There was a card in the back and that was kind of old fashioned. We used to have the cards so you check them in, you stamp the card, you know, with due date, and this is a throwback, and there was the card, and I noticed that the due date was in 1968,” said Sipocz.

The copy of “Sir Gibbie” is now available to be checked out once again at the St. Joseph Public Library.