Reading the riot act? Definitely not – but Library staff are stunned to receive two overdue books loaned out in the 1970s!

We are playing “ketchup” here and “canoe” quite believe it - but two overdue books have been returned to Orkney Library & Archive – with a combined loan date of nearly 100 years! 

Staff almost “keeled” over when Canoe Building in Glass-Reinforced Plastic by Alan Byde “landed on the deck” earlier this week, after being found during a house clearance. It was due to be returned in March 1977.  

This book was not the only one “floating” around the county for decades, for in October last year Tomatoes For Everyone by Frank W. Allerton was given back to the library after being loaned out to a patron on January 21, 1974! 

Both books shared tips – one for growing tomatoes and the other for building a canoe. 

According to Orkney Library & Archive, Tomatoes for Everyone was kept in a box, which had moved house several times, keeping the copy in “excellent condition”. 

Similar copies of the book are being sold on Amazon for £79, making it a prized copy. 

No “back paddling” was required by either honest finder, as there was no risk of an overdue fine! 

The loaning out of a book back in the 1970s was different to today. 

John Peterson, from the Library, said: “Books would have been issued using a manual card system in 1974, where a small record card kept in a pocket attached to each book, would have been taken from the book and put with the borrower’s membership ticket. 

“This would have been filed, in alphabetised and dated filing cabinets, along with all other books on loan at any given time, in hundreds or possibly thousands of drawers full of record cards. 

“Very labour-intensive activity for library staff back in the day. The borrower, much the same as today, would have had the return date stamped in the label of the book. 

“To receive two books back from the 70s within ten months has been quite something and caused quite a bit of a stir outwith Orkney. Our thanks go to those who returned them - who knows what finds may be next?!”