Reposted From : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8627835.stm
Librarians in New York's oldest library have uncovered a surprising book thief:
George Washington.
The first president of the United States of America borrowed two books from the New York Society Library in 1789 but failed to return them.
Adjusted for inflation, he has since racked up $300,000 in fines for being some 220 years late.
The New York Society Library says it will not pursue the fine. It would simply like the books back.
He famously never told a lie, but it seems George Washington was not without his faults.
On 5 October 1789, the first president borrowed two books from what was then the only library in Manhattan - "Law of Nations," a dissertation on international relations, and a volume of debate transcripts from Britain's House of Commons.
George Washington did not even bother to sign his name in the borrower's ledger. An aide simply scrawled "president" next to the title to show who had taken them out.
Reposted from the BBC.
3 comments:
This is funny. I wonder who takes the time to research something like this?
Librarians. that's who! it's our job (not that I'm a librarian, I'm a Tech) to know such silly things. For example. I've just spend THREE whole days putting together a package of stats solely to arrive and ONE NUMBER. How many eJournals we have access to. and I'm only 1/2 way done. (six pages into my procedural write up too!) Good Times Abound @ The Library!
tsk tsk
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