You might recall the recent story about the long-lost copy of "The Treatise on Law Selections" by St. Thomas Aquinas that was last borrowed from the library over 50 years ago. The borrower, who was stationed in Monterey during his military service in the early 1950’s, apparently overlooked the book when he packed up and left Monterey. He recently found the book in the attic of his Ohio home, and sent the book back to us with a very nice note, and a sizeable donation.

Shortly after the story was released by local news media, the library received a call from the Public Affairs office at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey. They asked if the library would consider donating the book for display in the Catholic chapel at NPS, which is named for St. Thomas Aquinas. They thought that the return of the book to the library after so many years was very interesting, and that the story would resonate with many military families. In a letter to us from the NPS Foundation’s Executive Director we learned that over the years, "Many items have been shipped with household goods that were not intended to be: bricks, a pot of chili, trash and library books."

The library is delighted that this book with its interesting history is to be given a special place in the St. Aquinas Chapel at Monterey’s Naval Postgraduate School when the school celebrates its Centennial in 2009.