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A book of poetry was recently returned to a library in the US state of Virginia almost 50 years after it was checked out.
The Hopewell Regional Library's copy of Leaves of Grass, a collection of poetry by Walt Whitman, was checked out on June 3, 1974, according to Adult Services Librarian Catherine Field.
"A woman came in and she said she found this book while she was cleaning out her sister's home, and she noticed there was a due date slip in the back," Field said.
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The library first obtained the recently-returned copy in 1959.
Field said Whitman is an "American classic", and the book had been very popular.
The book will not return to the shelf due to its condition.
The library no longer charged late fees to encourage overdue book returns – but if it did, the book would have racked up a fee of about $1700.
"It's great they dismissed the late fees on it," said David Jarrett, a library goer.
"But it's great the book is back. That's the main thing."
