A “Mary Poppins” library book — a rare first edition published in 1934 — was returned to an Alberta, Canada, library through a donation 40 years after it was removed from circulation.
Thrift store owner Chuck Taylor sought out Dwayne Olson at the St. Paul Municipal Library after realizing the book was a rare first edition that had been part of the library’s collection, Global News reported.
“It’s worth about $1,000 from what we could find out — which would make a difference in the bottom line for a small thrift store — but the positive PR will make a much bigger difference,” Taylor told CBC Radio.
“We view part of our job as steering items where they need to go,” Taylor continued. “Part of our mandate is to serve the community.”
The "Mary Poppins" book was sent back to the library in June, exactly 40 years to the month after it was taken out of circulation to make room for newer editions.
Olsen held a short public ceremony last month and now keeps the book in a locked display case with other older, rare texts, CBC reported. The book has some minor wear and tear with yellow pages and a few stains. An inscription on the second page reads, “To my mother: 1875 to 1928.”
The book is the first in a series of eight about the English nanny that were popular long before the movie was made by Disney.
A much-anticipated sequel to the 1964 movie, “Mary Poppins Returns,” is scheduled to hit theaters Dec. 19. A movie about author P.L. Travers’ experience with Walt Disney, “Saving Mr. Banks,” was released in 2013.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.