George Washington owes $100K in library fines

According to an old ledger book, George Washington (the George Washington) checked two books (one on international law, one a transcript of debates in the British House of Commons) from the New York Society Library in October, 1789 and never returned them.

His inflation-adjusted fines are now more than $100,000.

John Adams also failed to return one of the books he checked out.

According to its website, the New York Society Library was formed in 1754, and served as the first Library of Congress when New York was the capital. The ledger from that time period was lost for many years, but was rediscovered in the 1930s. It shows that many "founding fathers" besides Washington used the Library at that time, including Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and Aaron Burr. According to the ledger, they all got their books back on time, but not the Father-in-Chief.
"We're not actively pursuing the overdue fines," said head librarian Mark Bartlett, "but we would be very happy if we were able to get the books back." Fat chance, given that Washington died in 1799 and so his family has almost certainly grabbed all the good stuff by now. And for those of you hoping that this might be a case of mistaken paperwork rather than a book-swiping chief executive, further evidence came to light just last week that the two books are actually gone. A librarian apparently stumbled upon the set of "Commons Debates" volumes, which it seems had been misplaced, and all 14 volumes were there -- except for Volume 12, the one Washington checked out.

President Accused of Theft, Failing to Pay Massive Library Fines

Previously:

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MarlboroTestMonkey7

Sins of your forefathers.
Anonymous

I wonder what the chances are of the books being brought to the Library of Congress when it was based in the Capitol, which burned during the 1812 War?
ocschwar

It would be pretty amusing if the Mt. Vernon staff did a search of the bookcases and found these books, and returned them.
Gilbert Wham

Dang. Upstaged. The oldest I’ve got is one of my dad’s from 1969. My personal best is 1981. I’m not allowed a library ticket any more…
Umbriel

I don’t know of many libraries that inflation-adjust their fines. The estimated accumulated fine, without inflation adjustment, is only a little over $4,000. Certainly the books would be worth more than that if they still exist.
Anonymous

ummm the big flow that makes this number bolony is the inflation factor. No where in the library contract does it say your fines will adjust do to inflation
So how much does Washington actually owe without inflation? Is it a couple of hundred or less?
Anonymous

It would be hilarious if the books were found and returned. What I also find amusing is the fact that Washington is no different than every other American that never returns their books on time. http://www.newsy.com/videos/george-washington-owes-big-money
caitifty

If you ever want a good laugh, dig up a copy of “George Washington’s Expense Account” by Washington & Kitman (1970). At the beginning of the revolutionary war, Washington declined a proposed $500 monthly salary for leading the continental army, instead asking ‘merely’ that congress pay his expenses. And promptly started incurring expenses, beginning with $7,500 for a set of horses and a carriage. Over the course of the war Washington expensed close to half a million dollars (compared to the 48,000 he would have received if he hadn’t declined the payroll offer), much of it for home improvements and similar.. Hardly the last American politician to rort the system, but good to see he was relaxed about other public property as well.
Anonymous

his heirs could just avoid the fine altogether by using this library fine avoidance hack.
Anonymous

He also chopped down the cherry tree
jeligula

Every library that I have ever dealt with will accept the price of replacement when the fines exceed the value of the book. Of course, this might have changed by now and probably has.
- Jer
  
  Every library that I have ever dealt with will accept the price of replacement when the fines exceed the value of the book.
  
  Sure, but what’s the “cost of replacement” for a volume of “Common Discourses” published in the 18th century? Possibly the value of the fine is cheaper than the replacement cost at this point.
  
  Someone should check the various museums that Washington’s stuff ended up at. And the museums of the other Founding Fathers – he may have lent it to someone and forgot it wasn’t his. Who knows – it could be in a storage vault at the Smithsonian or something.
hassenpfeffer

If Franklin knew that Washington and Adams had abused a library, he would’ve gone medieval on their colonial asses.
- Robert
  
  I think you meant “gone enlightenment on their asses”.
Moriarty

In before first Bookman/Tropic of Cancer reference?