from "George Washington's library book returned 221 yrs late," by Belinda Goldsmith and Miral Fahmy, Reuters
Washington checked out the book from the New York Society Library at a time when the library shared a building with the federal government in lower Manhattan.
The library said in a statement that its borrowing records, or charging ledger, showed Washington took out "The Law of Nations" by Emer de Vattel on October 5, 1789.
The book was not returned, nor any overdue book fine paid -- with the overdue fee now calculated at about $300,000.
The missing book came to light when the New York Society Library was restoring its 1789-1792 charging ledger, which features the borrowing history of Washington, John Adams, John Jay, Aaron Burr, Alexander Hamilton, George Clinton, and others.
The library conducted an inventory of books mentioned in the ledger and confirmed the book checked out by Washington was still missing.(more)
