‘Better late than never’: Record returned to Toronto library after more than 40 years

A vinyl record featuring 1600s dance hits was returned to the library 40 years overdue. Plus, an AI commentator is deployed at the Masters. Richard Southern and Erica Natividad chat about the day's interesting stories.

By Michael Talbot

Posted April 6, 2023 12:00 pm.

Last Updated April 6, 2023 7:13 pm.

Library late fees turned more than a few tardy bookworms into petty crooks over the years, with borrowed dog-eared classics inevitably failing to find their way back to their respective branches for fear of disproportionate financial penalties.

That changed last year when Toronto Public Library announced it was scrapping the punitive measures for good, joining libraries across North America that found the fines actually prevented returns and were a barrier to library use, especially among low-income patrons.

The TPL’s Spadina Road Branch credits that policy change with the return of a vinyl album that was taken out over 40 years ago before finding its way back to its rightful home.

Toronto Public Library card for record over 40 years late. Toronto Public Library.

“Better late than never!” the library wrote in a social media post on Wednesday.

“Due on October 5, 1982, this record finally made its way home to Spadina Road Branch after nearly 40 years. Good thing we eliminated late fines last year.”

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The German classical record Dance Music From The Time of Praetorius has an average rating of 3.96 out 5 on Discogs, with 252 copies of various pressings available starting at $1.

An ambitious Amazon seller has a used copy in Very Good condition available for $103.45.

When announcing the scrapping of late fees, TPL made it clear that customers are still on the hook for items that go missing, stating: “Library customers will still be responsible for returning materials on time, and those who do not will still need to pay the replacement cost for any materials lost, damaged or not returned. TPL will continue to encourage the timely return of materials, including sending multiple due date notifications.”

In other words, it’s not a free-for-all, but if you’ve been sitting on a dusty copy of Henry Miller’s Tropic of Cancer, you can return it without going bankrupt.