Washington's slightly overdue books

["Adrian" <adrian.stanley13@gmail.com>]

I thought readers of the list serv may appreciate this news story 
from the BBC.

George Washington's $300,000 library book fine, librarians in New 
York's oldest library have uncovered a surprising book thief: 
George Washington.

The first president of the United States of America borrowed two 
books from the New York Society Library in 1789 but failed to 
return them.

Adjusted for inflation, he has since racked up $300,000 in fines 
for being some 220 years late.

The New York Society Library says it will not pursue the fine. It 
would simply like the books back.

He famously never told a lie, but it seems George Washington was 
not without his faults.

On 5 October 1789, the first president borrowed two books from 
what was then the only library in Manhattan - "Law of Nations," a 
dissertation on international relations, and a volume of debate 
transcripts from Britain's House of Commons.

George Washington did not even bother to sign his name in the 
borrower's ledger. An aide simply scrawled "president" next to 
the title to show who had taken them out.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8627835.stm

Adrian Stanley
Chief Executive Officer
The Charlesworth Group (USA)
Phone: (215) 922 1611 
Web:  www.charlesworth.com