The library caps fines for overdue books at $15 and librarian Kerry O'Hara says she will not try to locate whoever returned the book.
She says it will not be returned to the shelves.
"It can't. It's too badly damaged," she said.
"The writers are great writers and good writing doesn't date, but the condition of the book is not good enough to go back in our collection.
"[The book is] no longer on our system. We now charge 25 cents a day for anything that's due back late, but I think that one we'd have to let go."
On today's rates, the overdue fee would be in excess of $2,500.
