John Hanson, 84, walked into the Concord Public Library with an envelope that held a piece of history—and a potential fine of $12,055. Inside was a September 1894 issue of The Century Illustrated Monthly Magazine, a publication that had been due back roughly 48,220 days earlier, or up to 132 years late.
Hanson, a Barrington resident and Concord native, returned the magazine on September 15, 2026. He chose that moment because the library was running a fine freeze, canceling late fees. “I thought it was a good time to return it,” Hanson said.
A Discovery from a 1966 Move
Hanson found the magazine in 1966 when he moved from Boscawen to Barrington. He does not know how it came into his possession. He speculated it might have been a gift or picked up from a free book pile. His parents did not have Concord Public Library cards, so it likely did not come from them.
The magazine is clearly marked as library property. A bookplate inside identifies it as belonging to Concord Public Library and includes a reminder that the borrowing period was one week.
Hanson’s late first wife, Carol, was a voracious reader and a frequent patron of the Concord Public Library. Hanson said she would not have kept a borrowed item for years. That makes the magazine’s long stay with him even more of a mystery.
An Archivist’s Surprise
Jennifer Needham, an archivist and outreach coordinator at the library, was at the circulation desk when Hanson returned the magazine. She initially expected a magazine from the 1980s, 1990s, or 2000s. When Hanson produced the 1894 issue, she was intrigued.
Needham found one article particularly interesting: a piece arguing for more outdoor play spaces at urban public schools. She noted that the article made a case for adding playgrounds at city schools, a topic that still resonates today.
The magazine itself is a window into its era. It contains poetry, essays, and news, along with advertisements. Despite its age, it was relatively well cared for.
A Fine Freeze and a Happy Return
The library’s fine freeze allowed Hanson to return the magazine without paying the $12,055 that would have accrued under normal circumstances. The freeze was a stroke of luck for Hanson, who said he thought it was a good time to bring it back.
Needham said she was intrigued when Hanson produced the 1894 magazine. The return was a rare event for the library, which had not seen the magazine in over a century.
The magazine will now be part of the library’s collection once again, a reminder of a time when borrowing periods were short and late fees could add up—though in this case, they did not.
