JFK's Long Overdue Library Book Found

Posted on February 6, 2009

Researchers just discovered that a book about Abraham Lincoln that was found among President Kennedy's papers is actually an overdue library book from the Library of Congress. It's really, really overdue, as matter of fact.

The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum said it will display, as part of a weeklong celebration of Presidents' Day, a 1930 biography of Abraham Lincoln that was apparently borrowed by Kennedy, or a member of his staff, when he was serving in the Senate in the 1950s.

The Library of Congress book, "A. Lincoln" by Ross F. Lockridge, was found in Kennedy's pre-presidential papers. It has been listed as missing in the Library of Congress online catalog, and will be returned to its collection after the display.

"It has just always been assumed to have been one of his books," said library spokesman Tom McNaught, but the library recently learned "it had been checked out since he was a senator and he had just kept it."

The book now has historical significance and we think it should stay in the JFK collection. The endowment can buy the Library of Congress a new book on Lincoln, but we like the idea of having JFK's overdue library book as part of his papers. It's interesting.

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