ODDLY ENOUGH

ODDLY ENOUGH

UK library gets book overdue by 45 years

LONDON

It’s common to return a library book late — but not by half a century.

Staff at a British library say they were surprised and puzzled when they received a book that was 45 years overdue through their mailbox.

Alison Lawrie, the principal assistant at Dinnington Library, near northern England’s Sheffield, says the Penguin first edition copy of “Quartermass and the Pit” by Nigel Kneale was due back Oct. 15, 1965.

She says the borrower remains a mystery because the library records don’t go back that far, and the sender didn’t attach a letter or note with the book.

Lawrie said Friday the sender need not worry about a hefty fine.

She says: “If the person who returned the book wants to come forward, we’d love to know the story behind it.”

Pa. supervisor wants officials to wear blazers

WASHINGTON, Pa.

A newly elected supervisor wants his colleagues and other officials in their southwestern Pennsylvania township to wear blazers to public functions so citizens will know who they are.

Canton Township Supervisor Jack Sheppard says the blazers would have an emblem or other insignia that would identify the officials wearing them to the public.

Fellow supervisors Sam Bear and Robert Franks gave Sheppard the OK to see how much the blazers would cost for them and other officials.

Sheppard says he sees people at public meetings and other functions “and a lot of people say, ’Who is that?’ The blazers would solve this problem.”

University probing painted chickens

PITTSBURGH

Officials at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh are trying to determine how spray-painted chickens got into various campus buildings and whether the incident was a fraternity prank or something else.

Beth McMaster, a wildlife rehabilitator, has been caring for nine birds removed from campus buildings beginning Saturday.

She says one bird was spray-painted pink, another with purple paint, and others with yellow.

Carnegie Mellon officials say in a statement that students are cooperating with the university’s efforts “to understand what happened on Saturday, when farm chickens were found in campus buildings.”

Any disciplinary action will be handled through the school’s internal judicial process.

One bird was found in a student center.

Another bird was found on a racquetball court.

Associated Press