After 119 Years, James Clerk Maxwell’s “An Elementary Treatise on Electricity” Returns Home to New Bedford Free Public Library

A long-lost book has finally made its way back to its rightful home after more than a century. On February 14th, 1904, James Clerk Maxwell’s “An Elementary Treatise on Electricity” was checked out from the New Bedford Free Public Library.

Recently, the book was discovered by Stewart Plein, the curator of rare books at West Virginia University Libraries, while sorting through a recent donation of books. Plein noticed that the book had been part of the collection at the New Bedford library and, critically, had not been stamped “Withdrawn”, indicating that while extremely overdue, the book had not been discarded.

The book’s return to the New Bedford Free Public Library marks the end of a 119-year journey. It is believed that the book was checked out by someone curious about the emerging possibilities of a key force of nature.

The library’s director, Stephen Fulchino, said that the book’s return was a “reminder of the importance of libraries and the role they play in preserving our shared cultural heritage.”

The book is now available for public viewing in the library’s special collections. It is a reminder of the power of libraries to preserve our shared cultural heritage and the importance of returning overdue books.