Nearly 30 years ago, Brian Cogley checked out a book from the Donaldson Elementary School library — and he finally got around to returning it last week.
Cogley, 39, borrowed "The Great Brain," written by John Fitzgerald, from the library as a fourth-grader sometime during the 1977-1978 school year with the intention of holding on to it for good.
"I really liked it," Cogley said by phone from Oakland, Calif. "As a kid, it was kind of twisted and dark and I was amused by it. I wanted to keep it."
The book was written in the late 1960s. It chronicles a boy, John, and his troublemaking older brother, Tom — aka "The Great Brain" — during the late 1800s.
Cogley was in Tucson last Friday visiting his parents when he stopped by his former elementary school, on the Northwest Side at 2040 W. Omar Drive, and returned the book to librarian Cinda Petersen. He threw in $100 to cover any late fees.
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"This is really the only thing I have ever stolen in my life," Cogley said. "I always felt bad about it."
Cogley lost track of the book, but said he would periodically recall how he had never bothered to return it.
He found the book last summer at his parents' summer home in Michigan and was flabbergasted.
"The minute I saw it everything came flooding back," he said.
Cogley's mom, Barb Cogley, said the book has been in Michigan for more than 15 years.
"I could have returned that book anytime if I would have known," Barb Cogley said. "I didn't know it was a library book. I never looked inside of it."
Barb Cogley and her husband, Bill, live two blocks from the Donaldson campus and accompanied their son to the school when he returned it.
"The little kids were all watching with great big eyes," Barb Cogley said. "It seemed like it was a wonderful lesson for them to see a great big man like Brian return the book."
Petersen, the school's librarian, said the school's staff was amused by the whole thing and grateful for the $100 donation.
"That was very nice of him to bring back the book," said Petersen, who was not the librarian at the time Cogley borrowed the book. "It is in pretty good condition. I will put it back into circulation."
After Donaldson, Cogley attended Cross Middle School and Canyon del Oro High School. He graduated from the University of Arizona in 1990.
He now lives in Oakland with his partner, Emily Cotler, and 1-year-old daughter, Rhiannon.
The whole family was with Cogley when he owned up to keeping the book for nearly three decades.
And now his conscience is finally clear.
"I do feel a lot better," he said.
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