Book returned to Australian library – 150 years overdue
A 150-year-old book titled Antiquities of Athens was returned to a public library in Kiama, Australia, after being discovered behind a brick wall during home renovations. The library manager noted that the book would have accrued a massive fine, though the original borrower remains unknown.
Why it matters
The story highlights the intersection of local history and the preservation of public records, serving as a human-interest piece on the longevity of physical media.
‘We’ve never had anything that old come back’: Kiama library manager Michelle Hudson with the book Antiquities of Athens. ‘We’ve never had anything that old come back’: Kiama library manager Michelle Hudson with the book Antiquities of Athens. Australia news Book returned to Australian library – 150 years overdue The book, Antiquities of Athens, was handed back to Kiama library by a man who found it bricked into a wall
Prefer the Guardian on Google An Australian public library has had a book returned an estimated 150 years late after being found behind a wall during a home renovation.
The book, Antiquities of Athens, published in 1858, was returned to the library in the seaside town of Kiama, south of Sydney , by a man who had found it inside a tea crate bricked into a sealed fireplace
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