Long-overdue book by Arthur Conan Doyle returned to Finnish library after 84 years

A book by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was returned to a library in Finland 84 years past its due date. The book, a Finnish translation of Doyle's historical novel "The Refugees," was brought back to Helsinki Central Library Oodi. The due date for the book was December 26, 1939, but it was returned more than 84 years later. The library staff were surprised by this very late return. The librarian, Heini Strand, received the book and mentioned that it was unusual to receive a book that overdue. The book was returned by someone, but they did not explain why it was returned after so many years. It is common for books to be returned many years later when people find them while going through belongings of deceased relatives. The due date for the book was just after the Soviet Union attacked Finland in November 1939. This event might have been a reason why the book was not returned on time. During the war, people may have had other priorities than returning library books. The library already had two copies of the book, so they decided to send the returned book to the main library's storage. The book may be added back to the collection for library customers to borrow. The library does not charge a fine for overdue books that are no longer in the system. The librarian, Siina Tiuraniemi, mentioned that the main goal of the library is to promote reading and provide access to books and knowledge for everyone. Late returns are not a big issue for them. The library staff are happy when books are returned, even if it's many years later.