- A Finnish translation of Arthur Conan Doyle’s "The Refugees" was supposed to be returned to the central library in Helsinki by December 26, 1939.
- 84 years later, librarian Heini Strand received the book back on Monday, indicating that people want to do the right thing and return library property.
- This was the longest outstanding loan the library had ever experienced.
- The book was returned by a different person than the one who borrowed it in 1939, which is common for loans returned decades later when found in deceased relatives’ belongings.
- The reason for the book not being returned earlier is unknown, but possibly linked to the Soviet Union’s invasion of Finland in November 1939 during the Winter War.
- The invasion may have caused the borrower to not prioritize returning the book as the due date approached.
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