SAN ANTONIO – A book has made its long-awaited return to the San Antonio Public Library nearly 82 years after it was due, according to a library news release.
The book, “Your Child, His Family, and Friends,” written by Frances Bruce Strain, was checked out in July 1943 and was due 28 days later.
The release said that the book was returned to the library in June 2025 from Oregon, accompanied by a letter explaining how it was found.
In the letter, the person who penned the letter wrote that they found the book while sorting through their late father’s belongings.
“When I noticed it was from the San Antonio Public Library, I decided to send it back to you,” according to the letter.
The writer of the letter said their grandmother checked out the book before she was transferred to work at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City when their father was 11 years old.
“She must have taken the book with her, and some 82 years later, it ended up in my possession,” the writer of the letter wrote.
KSAT spoke with Scott Williams, Marketing Manager of the San Antonio Public Library, to learn more about the history of the book.
“It’s a self-help book about parenting from the 1940s,” Williams said. “The content is maybe a little out of date, not really in line with modern standards around parenting, but it is an interesting snapshot of the times.”
In the letter, the writer expressed appreciation for the library’s services and joked about the late return.
“I hope there is no late fee for it because Grandma won’t be able to pay for it anymore,” they wrote.
The San Antonio Public Library eliminated fines for overdue books in 2021 “to break down financial barriers to accessing library services and resources.”
KSAT asked Williams for an estimate on what the fine would have been if fine policies were still in place.
“At the time, when this book was checked out, you can see the actual stamp of the book that the fine was three cents a day,” he said.
However, due to these policies changing over the years, Williams said there was no true way to calculate the cost of the fine.
“Ultimately, what would’ve happened is, at a certain point, the book would’ve been considered ‘lost’ and the person would’ve been charged for the replacement cost of the book,” he said.
“Your Child, His Family, and Friends” is on display in the lobby of Central Library throughout the month of August.
According to the library, it will eventually be donated to the Friends of San Antonio Public Library and sold in the used bookstore located in the basement of Central Library.
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