New Hampshire man returns magazine 132 years late, avoids $12,055 fine

Image: Concord Public Library/ The Guardian An overdue library magazine has returned to its original home in New Hampshire after more than 132 years. John Hanson, an 84-year-old man from Barrington, recently brought a September 1894 issue of The Century Illustrated Monthly Magazine back to the Concord Public Library. The publication had remained in his home for decades, although he said he had no idea how it came into his possession. His decision to return it followed the library's introduction of a year-long fine freeze in September 2026. The initiative allowed him to avoid a potential $12,055 late fee, calculated from 48,220 overdue days. The unusual return surprised library staff and raised questions about the magazine's journey through more than a century of history.New Hampshire man discovers 1894 magazine in his homeHanson, a Concord native, had kept the magazine at home for decades. According to New Hampshire Public Radio, the item was initially in his Boscawen home before he moved to Barrington in 2010. He said he had no clear recollection of how it came into his possession. His father was born and raised in Concord but did not have a library card, leaving the original borr...