Magazine borrowed in 1894 returned to New Hampshire library after 132 years, with $12,055 in waived fines

A 19th-century magazine checked out from a public library in the United States has been returned after roughly 132 years, thanks to a fine-waiver program.

According to NBC, BBC and other outlets, the Concord Public Library in New Hampshire announced Wednesday (local time) that a copy of the September 1894 issue of The Century Illustrated Monthly Magazine had been returned the previous week.

The magazine had been checked out and never returned for 132 years — an overdue period of 48,220 days.

Under normal circumstances, the borrower would have owed $12,055 in late fees. The library had a fine-waiver program in effect at the time of the return, however, having launched a one-year amnesty on overdue fines beginning Sept. 1.

John Hanson, 84, who returned the magazine, said it had been "floating around" his home for decades. He said he had no idea how it ended up there in the first place.

The library said on its official social media accounts that many people had been delighted to hear about the fine waiver. "We expected some long-overdue books to come back, but we never dreamed a magazine checked out in the late 19th century would be among them," it said.

The historic magazine will not return to the general circulation shelves. The library said it is considering placing the item on special display in the Concord Room, a space dedicated to local historical materials.