After receiving a package from Canada Post, UBC university librarian Susan Parker discovered an overdue book for return from over 64 years ago, declaring a new over-due record for the school and a pleasant surprise for Parker.
The 1931 edition of Horace Kephart乌鸦传媒檚 original 1906 乌鸦传媒楥amping and woodcraft: Handbook for vacation campers and for travellers in the wilderness乌鸦传媒� is what Parker found within the package. It included a news clipping of a story recounting a similar story, along with an apology letter and a $100 cheque.
Graduating in 1963, the individual sender is 83-year-old UBC alum Robert Murray, who praised the book, even claiming it potentially saved him and his son乌鸦传媒檚 lives while on a hike during a rainstorm up Mount Young.
乌鸦传媒淲hile in my 50s, my younger son and I got lost once hiking up to Mount Young,乌鸦传媒� said Murray.
While hiking, Murray and his son became lost on the trail due to a magnetic compass malfunction and around the same time, a torrential downpour started to begin.
乌鸦传媒淲e got utterly soaked, especially my son,乌鸦传媒� he said.
While on their hike, Murray remembered his book's best practices or shelter in case of heavy rainfall and because he had a tarp with him, him and his son made a lean-to shelter and a controlled fire to help aid their struggles. The shelter would reflect the heat from the fire, drying out the ground, and keeping them warm.
Because Murray乌鸦传媒檚 son was wearing jeans that were wet, he was still shivering unlike his father who was wearing wool乌鸦传媒揗urray recalled from the book that wool is one of the few materials that keeps you warm even when it乌鸦传媒檚 wet.
乌鸦传媒淚 finally said, 乌鸦传媒楾ake off your clothes,乌鸦传媒� and he just looked at me aghast,乌鸦传媒� said Murray. 乌鸦传媒淵ou乌鸦传媒檙e standing by the fire and the water in your clothes is evaporating and taking heat from your body as well. You乌鸦传媒檒l warm up better if you take off your clothes and hang them on the ridgepole to dry, and let the fire warm your body directly.乌鸦传媒�
Deciding to just return home, the pair successfully made it out alive thanks to the infamous overdue camping book.
Surprisingly, Parker was didn't care at how long Murray held onto the rented book for.
乌鸦传媒淎lthough he returned it six decades late, he was an ideal library book caretaker,乌鸦传媒� said Parker. 乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檝e seen books deteriorated more that were loaned out for much shorter periods of time, and even found a book where they had clearly used a piece of bacon as a bookmark.乌鸦传媒�
Parker even went as far as to say she was delighted that he went the extra mile to share the practicality he got out of it.
乌鸦传媒嬑谘淮綃乌鸦传媒淗e could have just mailed the book back without saying anything, but the fact that he shared his story was really special,乌鸦传媒� she says. 乌鸦传媒淚 loved knowing that he had a really great practical use for it and the book was really important to him.乌鸦传媒�
There are no punitive measures or overdue fees taken against Murray, due to UBC abolishing most overdue book fees in 2020. Murray乌鸦传媒檚 $100 cheque will be put toward other backlogged fees.
The library乌鸦传媒檚 stance on overdue books is one that is very loose and casual, they prioritize people just getting out and reading books rather than worrying about returning them back on time.
乌鸦传媒淎t the end of the day, we just want the books back,乌鸦传媒� said Parker. 乌鸦传媒淲e don乌鸦传媒檛 want to punish people or feel that they cannot use the library because they have an overdue book.乌鸦传媒�
