A man in Kiama, Australia discovered a book bricked into his fireplace during home renovations and returned it to the local library, 150 years after its due date. The book, "Antiquities of Athens", was published in 1858 and has some water damage from being under a chimney for so long. According to librarian Michelle Hudson, the late return fine would be approximately $27,450 CAD, but there is no way to track down the borrower who accrued this debt. The library will display the book in their local history collection, rather than allowing it to leave again after such a long absence.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-21,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
A man in Kiama, Australia found an old tea crate bricked into his fireplace during home renovations, and inside it was a book called Antiquities of Athens, published in 1858. The book had been checked out from the local Kiama Library, but due to the lack of records, the library has no way of tracking down the original borrower, who would be responsible for paying an estimated fine of $28,000 (calculated based on a three-pence-a-week overdue fee printed in the book). The book was returned to the library last week, making it likely that it was due back around 150 years ago, although no official record exists to confirm this. Library manager Michelle Hudson said they've never received a book as old as this one before, and were surprised by its return after such a long time.
Written for “Overdue Library Book Found” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article presents the library's rules and regulations in a neutral, matter-of-fact way, without expressing any apparent ideological bias or agenda. However, there is a slight leaning towards a more positive tone when describing the book's return, with phrases such as 'We’re not going to allow it to go back out again' suggesting a sense of excitement and appreciation for the library's history.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score +0.20 for article 114 · logged 2026-07-31
Book returned to Australian library 150 years overdue after man finds it bricked in fireplace
No way to track down the borrower, says library
An Australian public library has had a book returned an estimated 150 years late and has no way of tracking down the errant borrower, a librarian said on Thursday.
asserted
librarian → return → Thursday
The book Antiquities of Athens, published in 1858, was returned to the library in the seaside town of Kiama last week by a man who had found it during recent home renovations inside a tea crate bricked into a sealed fireplace, Kiama Library manager Michelle Hudson said.
asserted
Hudson → publish → fireplace
"We’ve never had anything that old come back to us," Hudson said.
asserted
Hudson → have → us
"I follow lots of libraries on social media and often you’ll get things that are maybe 30 or 40 years old when they’re cleaning out estates and stuff like that," she added.
asserted
she → follow → that
The book’s finder did not immediately respond to The Associated Press’s request for comment.
asserted
finder → respond → comment
The late return fine would be around 28,000 Australian dollars ($27,450 Cdn), allowing for inflation, Hudson said.
asserted
Hudson → allow → inflation
That was calculated on the British three pence-a-week overdue fee that was printed on the inside cover of the book, along with a list of rules that applied when the library opened in 1872.
asserted
library → calculate → 1872
But Hudson said there was no way of tracing the final borrower who had accrued the debt.
asserted
who → say → debt
The library journal from the 1870s that recorded who borrowed a book and when had been lost.
asserted
who → record → book
No penalty for man who returned UBC library book 64 years late
Never too late: Hamilton library books returned 43 years overdue
asserted
books → return → book
"Unfortunately, we have a missing link.
asserted
we → have → link
There’s nothing in the book that tells us who the last borrower was," Hudson said.
asserted
Hudson → ’ → us
Library rules in the 1870s stated that a book had to be returned and an overdue debt paid before another book could be borrowed.
uncertain
book → state → 1870s
"Maybe that’s why they never returned it to us," Hudson said.
asserted
Hudson → ’ → us
Some water damage
Antiquated rules of the day included that up to three books could be borrowed by households in which at least six members were "known to be able to read."
uncertain
members → include → which
Proof of reading ability is no longer required to use today's library.
asserted
Proof → require → library
In the 1870s, books were not lent to people who arrived at the library in a "state of intoxication."
asserted
who → lend → intoxication
Library users are now asked to leave if their behaviour impacts others, but the rules are not specific about intoxication.
asserted
rules → ask → intoxication
The book, which has some water damage from its years under a chimney, was marked as No. 506 in the library's original collection of around 1,000 books, Hudson said.
asserted
Hudson → have → books
She expects the book was lost within a few years of the library opening.
asserted
library → expect → opening
The returned book will be displayed in the library's local history collection.
asserted
book → return → collection
"We’re not going to allow it to go back out again.
asserted
it → go → ?
We don't want to wait another 150 years for this book to be returned," Hudson said.
asserted
Hudson → want → years
