WARREN, Mich (WXYZ) — A Chicago man is trying to turn his honest mistake into something positive after forgetting to return an overdue library book to his childhood library in Warren.
“I was going through the books on my bookshelf, as I do every decade or so, and when I got to this book, I’m like 'Baseball Zaniest Stars', I remember this, and I noticed the Dewey decimal number on it, and I thought uh oh what is this,” said Chuck Hildebrandt.
He checked out the book in 1974 at the age of 13 because of his love of baseball.
"When I was a kid, I became a baseball freak during the 1968 Tiger's pennant run. Even as a six and seven-year-old, I couldn’t avoid it,” said Hildebrandt.
After discovering he still had the book a few years ago, Hildebrandt decided to hang onto it until the 50th anniversary of the due date to visit Warren and return it in person.
“I can’t account for thirteen-year-old me. All I can say is 63-year-old me would definitely turn the book in on time,” said Hildebrandt.
However, Library Director Oksana Urban says it was too late, and they could not accept the book.
"I got a chuckle, and I said, let’s check the system to see if your name is still online, and we did, and I said, Mr. Charles, your name has been purged, and so has the book that you’re holding," said Urban.
Hildebrandt was able to keep the book fine free. But that didn't stop his guilt.
He estimates if charged the fines would have added up to $4,563.75.
“At that point it became a very real number and I started feeling very embarrassed,” said Hildebrandt.“So I thought at that point I need to do something to kind of make good on this. They’ve already forgiven the fine; what can I do.”
He decided on raising the amount of the fines through GoFundMe to support the non-profit Reading is Fundamental (RIF).
“It’s a charity that helps children of modest means discover the joys of reading,” said Hildebrandt.
Now "Baseball's Zaniest Stars" is now back on his shelf in Chicago.
It's safe to say some books do stick with you for a lifetime.
