After 45 Years, Avon Library Book Finally Returned

AVON, CT — In 1979, the late Jimmy Carter was president, the Pirates won the World Series and the Pittsburgh Steelers were the defending Super Bowl champions en route to a fourth title.

And one Central Connecticut State University student checked out a book at the Avon Free Public Library that was due Oct. 24, 1979.

He never returned it ... until this week, library officials confirmed Monday.

The book was "Democracy in America" and is a well-known historical book written by French political scientist Alexis de Tocqueville.

According to the Avon Free Public Library, the male — who was not identified — happened to be a CCSU history student out of the New Britain campus.

Then, library officials were stunned to see the person more than 45 years later with, you guessed it, the copy of "Democracy in America" that was checked out before 1980 even arrived.

According to the library, the book ended up at the patron's parent's bookshelf, where it just sat there for decades collecting dust.

Of course, there's still a lot of questions not yet answered, including the library scofflaw's identity and whether or not he will face some pretty steep late fees.

Chances are, however, that a few amnesty programs at the library have come and gone during the nine presidential administrations that have come and gone since then.

And, given this individual's honesty in, eventually, returning the book, the outcome for him is likely to be a good one.

For more information on the Avon Free Public Library, click on this link.