The Popcorn Stand: Library detective Bookman would be proud of this man

Now this is really cool.

Every time I read one of these stories about a way overdue library book I think of the scene in “Seinfeld” in which library detective Bookman (yes his name was Bookman) confronts Jerry about a library book that’s 20 years overdue.

Bookman would be proud of Robert Stroud from Shreveport, Louisiana. He discovered his mom’s overdue library book “Spoon River Anthology” by Edgar Lee Masters while going through his late mother’s things.

His mother checked out the book from Shreve Memorial Library. In 1934.

Stroud originally dropped off the book without anybody knowing but the library posted the long-overdue book on its Facebook page, so the book received a lot of attention.

Unlike in Seinfeld in which Jerry piled up 20 years worth of library fines, Shreve Memorial Library has a maximum fine of $3. And the library waived the fine when it came to the book returned by Stroud.

But Stroud and his family decided to make a donation to the library equal to what the fine would have been based on how it would have accumulated over the years. At 5 cents a day for 84 years that came to $1,542.65, which Stroud and his family donated to the library.

Again when I hear stories of how people like Stroud help out a library it gives me a warm feeling inside because libraries are pretty cool places.

It still amazes me I can go to this place and pretty much get whatever book I want for free just as long as I promise to give the book back by a certain time. And this place is still actually pretty understanding if I break my promise and don’t return what I check out by a certain time.

Yes when it comes to Robert Stroud, Bookman would be proud. You can watch the “Seinfeld” scene with Bookman here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9tP9fI2zbE.

— Charles Whisnand