Mysterious note found inside book returned to library 37 years late

A book on the use of hallucinogenic drugs has been returned to a Colorado library 37 years after it was originally borrowed.

‘Psychedelics’, by Bernard Aaronson, was due back to the High Plains Library District on May 30th, 1987. 

The resulting trip, it seems, took longer than expected: the anonymous borrower returned the book with a staggering 13,437 days delay, raising questions on how the use of psychedelics might have affected their sense of time.

Attached to the book was a Post-it note that read: ‘Sorry, so late! It’s been a long strange trip.’

The library, located in Evans, Colorado, shared the peculiar news on their Facebook page, saying: ‘It was returned to Riverside Library and Cultural Center… last week. 13,437 days late! Or, 36 years, 9 months, and 13 days late.’

‘Psychedelics’ is now believed to hold the peculiar record for most overdue book ever returned to the library. 

‘But, hey, we get it. Sometimes you get busy. For almost 37 years. It happens,’  said the library. 

The vintage book, which was first published in 1970, is described as a ‘surprising and enlightening’ read for both the ‘uninitiated’ and ‘the frequent user’.

The book was anonymously returned using a drive-through drop box, James Melena of the High Plains Library District told Fox News.

Melena explained that, if they had to charge for a late fee, the mysterious reader would incur a $1,300 fine.

Luckily for the anonymous borrower, the library stopped charging late fees years ago. But even if fees were still in place, the library said they would have happily waived it, ‘since it’s such a funny and odd story.’

The library has even humorously challenged patrons to try and surpass this record. ‘If anyone can beat the current record of 13,437 days, I’m offering you total amnesty for the safe return of your items,’ they said on Facebook. 

‘Although I’m not encouraging you to check something out TODAY and return late enough to bear the record, which would be…January 1st, 2061. 

‘We’ll be closed New Year’s Day. Probably. Maybe. By 2061, who knows?’

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