Oz man fined $5K for library book that’s 19,350 days overdue
November 12th, 2010 - 6:51 pm ICT by ANIMelbourne, Nov 12 (ANI): An Australian man has been fined 5000 dollars for a library book that is 19,350 days overdue.
Raymond McLaren, 73, had borrowed the book, ‘Knot, Splices and Fancy Work’ from Newcastle Library in 1957, shortly before moving away from Newcastle as an apprentice engineer and never returned it.
McLaren was 19-years-old when used what he learnt from the book to establish a cable and rigging company that has since grown into a multi-million dollar enterprise.
“I learnt from that book some fancy knotting, rope-making, plaiting and weaving and applied that to making steel slings,” News.com.au quoted him as saying.
“It’s old and tattered now but still readable. I have had it for 53 years and I’ve used it from time to time and always kept it because it was one of those lovely keepsakes.
“I’d been thinking about it for quite some time. I’m getting a bit older and I thought: ‘Maybe before I shuffle off I should do something about getting the book back to the library’,” he explained.
McLaren will hand the book and a 5000-dollar cheque for his overdue fees to Newcastle Region Library.
The library will use the money for a special one-off purchase, possibly of some Australian landscape prints, but they believe in doing a good turn, and so they have decided to give the book back to McLaren.
“We thought it would be a nice thing to give it back to him. It is probably where the book belongs,” the library’s public programs co-ordinator Carol Edmonds stated. (ANI)
- Gaddafi regime came close to inking deal with McLaren F1 team - Apr 28, 2011
- Hamilton's title write-off just before start of F1 season - Mar 10, 2011
- Nicole back in McLaren paddock - Mar 17, 2012
- Mounties all set to tackle case of a mystery headstone - Jan 25, 2012
- Red Bull can't underestimate its F1 rivals: Horner - Apr 03, 2011
- Red Bull's Vettel wins Australian Grand Prix - Mar 27, 2011
- McLaren MP4-12C GT3 Coming In 2012 - Dec 22, 2010
- McLaren boss says don't write team off - Mar 11, 2011
- Unreturned library book found after 123 years - Dec 31, 2011
- McLaren will not be able to challenge Red Bull: Button - Mar 09, 2011
- Red Bull's Vettel takes pole for F1 season-opening Australian Grand Prix - Mar 26, 2011
- Hamilton calls Chinese Grand Prix win a 'miracle' - Apr 22, 2011
- Button signs new contract with McLaren - Oct 05, 2011
- Button insists he can win world title with McLaren - Mar 24, 2011
- McLaren hopes 'dramatic car alterations' will boost their F1 season - Mar 22, 2011
Tags: apprentice engineer, australian landscape, australian man, co ordinator, dollar cheque, dollar enterprise, fancy work, keepsakes, landscape prints, library book, mclaren, newcastle library, newcastle region library, news com au, nice thing, overdue fees, plaiting, rigging company, slings, splices
