WATCH: Library book returned 70 years late

• Former Mayor Frank Ryan, 84, took out the book in 1944 when he was 13.
• He returned the book to the Bound Brook Memorial Library on Monday.
• The library welcomed Ryan and the book back with open arms.
• Ryan was also given a special gold VIP library card to encourage him to take out more books.

BOUND BROOK – It took more than 70 years, but finally "Football Through The Years" by Dean Hill is back at the Bound Brook Memorial Library. Former Mayor Frank Ryan, 84, who took out the book in 1944 when he was 13, made a special visit Monday to show off the overdue book and bring it home.

Accompanied by his daughter, Karen Ryan, and his grandson, Ross Ryan, the former Bound Brook High School quarterback handed back the hardcover book to Local History Librarian Mary Nelson. The book spent the last seven decades in a barrel that was found in the attic by Karen Ryan in December.

While the family was mourning Rachel Ryan, Frank Ryan's wife of more than 60 years, Karen Ryan decided to look for some of her own belongings in the attic and check out the mysterious barrel. Nestled among other books was the long overdue "Football Through The Years."

Ryan recalls taking out the book in 1944 and reading it — or looking at the pictures at the very least. His favorite part was — and still is — the section on the very first football game between Rutgers and Princeton. Ryan has no idea how the book ended up in the barrel in the attic. He just knows that after the book was checked out, he became ill and was hospitalized at Saint Peter's in New Brunswick.

"We always wondered what was in that barrel in the attic," said Karen Ryan, a television producer in Washington, D.C. "Who knew it was an overdue library book?"

Before handing it back, Ryan was perusing the pages once again — one last look at the pictures — and pointing out various tidbits to the library's guests. He thinks it may have brought him luck in the form of a successful high school quarterback career from its perch in that barrel.

Initially, Ryan didn't want the book to be returned. When his daughter found it, his first thought was that he would be jailed for the overdue indiscretion.

"I knew it didn't make sense, but that was my first thought," he said. "I didn't know what was going to happen. I'm ready now to return it."

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Published in 1940, "Football Through The Years," which predates the modern NFL, will become part of the library's archive collection on the upper level of the library. The archive focuses on borough history memorabilia. Nelson said she plans to keep it with the various news articles associated with it since the story broke on www.mycentraljersey.com.

"We are happy to have it back," Nelson said. "It will be catalogued as part of the collection. While people won't be able to take it out of the building, they can look at it here."

At the library on Monday, Ryan was given the option to either keep the book or return it. The fee for an overdue book is capped at $10, but SCLS Branch Manager Cindy Mangel said the fee would be waived for Ryan. For fun, Mangel and Karen Ryan figured if the 1944 rate of $.05 a day held, the book's actual overdue fee would be $1,611.

"We would have worked with him regardless," Mangel said with a smile. "It's not often we get a book that is overdue by that many years. I have read about it but (it had) never happened in my career."

"This has been great for the Bound Brook Library and the Somerset County Library System," she said. "And public libraries in general. It has really brought attention to the role of public libraries in a positive manner. We are so happy about it."

SCLS Administrator Brian Auger said that anyone who has an overdue library book should not be afraid to return it.

"We will work with everybody," he said. "Nobody will be put in library jail. We just want the books back. This was a great feel-good story for our library. It points to the small-town nature of this part of New Jersey. It's really kind of sweet."

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Previously, Mangel and her staff also realized Ryan's library card had expired. During the special visit Monday, Ryan was presented with a VIP gold library card — one that does not expire. It is their hope that he will come back and visit the library, which is only a few blocks from his home.

"It's our way of welcoming him back to the library," said Carolann DeMatos, SCLS director of marketing and public relations.

"This is pretty good. I'll come back," said Ryan, holding his new library card. "I'll take out books — and return them. I'll visit my old book."

Borough Mayor Robert Fazen — who said he does not have any overdue library books in his attic — said Ryan is one of the borough's most beloved people. "Boxer," as he is known to friends, was very influential to the borough and is a man of honesty, sincerity and integrity, Fazen said.

"I got my foundation in politics from him," Fazen said. "When I moved here 35 years ago, he appointed me chairman of the Planning Board. And when I ran for mayor, he helped me tremendously. He has become a very close friend and one of the most wonderful people I have ever met."

Several other local VIPs turned out to support Ryan as he returned "Football Through The Years." Besides Fazen, former borough Police Chief Anthony Cimino, Municipal Clerk Donna Marie Godleski and several representatives from SCLS Commission, its adminstration and other branches.

"I'm not here to arrest him," joked Cimino, who is a longtime friend of Ryan. "I don't think there is a borough ordinance for that."

Ross Ryan said his grandfather has been enjoying being in the spotlight again, though family and library staff were amazed at how far Ryan's story spread.

"This story really had legs," Karen Ryan said. "I got calls from friends in Florida and New York."

"It went worldwide," DeMatos added. "We had responses from all over."

"He deserves all the notoriety he can get," Fazen said.

Staff Writer Cheryl Makin: 732-565-7256; cmakin@mycentraljersey.com