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Reading: OAP returns book to his former university after 64 years
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An 83-year-old man returned a library book to his former university after 64 years, along with a £54 cheque, calling it a "treasure" he used for decades.
World News

OAP returns book to his former university after 64 years

Lee Bullen
Last updated: 2025/03/18 at 3:19 PM
Lee Bullen
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3 Min Read
A heartfelt letter from Robert Murray accompanies the returned book, explaining its journey over the past six decades. (Jam Press/UBC Library Communications & Marketing)
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An 83-year-old man has returned a book to the library of his former university after 64 years.

The Beatles hadn’t even recorded their first album when student Robert Murray checked out the book.

He borrowed a 1931 edition of ‘Camping and Woodcraft: Handbook for Vacation Campers and for Travelers in the Wilderness’ by Horace Kephart.

READ MORE: Tour guide rakes in cash by carrying fatigued females up the mountain

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He checked out the book from the library at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, on 10 May 1960.

An 83-year-old man returned a library book to his former university after 64 years, along with a £54 cheque, calling it a "treasure" he used for decades.
Robert Murray at his UBC convocation ceremony in 1963. (Jam Press/UBC Library Communications & Marketing)

After holding onto the tome for nearly 65 years, the former graduate posted it to the library with a letter and a cheque for £54 (CAD 100).

University librarian, Susan Parker, said: “Most people return overdue books surreptitiously or anonymously.

“I’ve never received one this long overdue.

An 83-year-old man returned a library book to his former university after 64 years, along with a £54 cheque, calling it a "treasure" he used for decades.
UBC University Librarian, Susan Parker, with the long-overdue copy of Camping and Woodcraft. (Jam Press/UBC Library Communications & Marketing)

“Although he returned it six decades late, he was an ideal library book caretaker.

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“I’ve seen books deteriorated more that were loaned out for much shorter periods of time.

“And I even found a book where they had clearly used a piece of bacon as a bookmark.”

An 83-year-old man returned a library book to his former university after 64 years, along with a £54 cheque, calling it a "treasure" he used for decades.
The book’s due date log, showing its borrowing history dating back to 1934. (Jam Press/UBC Library Communications & Marketing)

Murray, now 83 years old, apparently made good use of the book over the decades.

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He said: “I determined that this book was a treasure.

An 83-year-old man returned a library book to his former university after 64 years, along with a £54 cheque, calling it a "treasure" he used for decades.
Camping and Woodcraft: Handbook for Vacation Campers and for Travelers. (Jam Press/UBC Library Communications & Marketing)

“A light year ahead of anything published on the subject at the time I borrowed it, and it has remained so over anything I’ve seen published since.”

His package also included a newspaper clipping from 2013 about an edition of the same book being returned to the Prince George’s Public Library over 30 years overdue.

An 83-year-old man returned a library book to his former university after 64 years, along with a £54 cheque, calling it a "treasure" he used for decades.
An inside look at ‘Camping and Woodcraft: Handbook for Vacation Campers and for Travelers in the Wilderness’ by Horace Kephart. (Jam Press/UBC Library Communications & Marketing)

Parker said the book was removed from the library’s system many years ago, but she plans to use Murray’s donation to cover other outstanding library fines, as reported by What’s The Jam.

READ MORE: Mysterious ‘wild-eyed beast’ appears in trail-cam snap

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