(Having been a librarian myself, I can very much relate to these findings)!
Our patrons have used bobby pins, water bills and toothpicks as book marks. But the oddest things we've had returned in our books have been food items---a broken Oreo cookie dropped out of one book, a dried up really nasty piece of bologna was found in another, and several cooked spaghetti noodles in another. Needless to say, our rather embarrassed patrons had to pay for the books. - Cris Adams, Hobbs Public Library
At my branch we recently had $160.00, in twenties, come in with a returned book. Used concert ticket stubs, Diamondbacks baseball ticket stubs, PowerBall tickets, etc., are not uncommon. We get playing cards, baseball cards, post cards, and, not too long ago, we found a note written in a florid, loopy little-girl's hand which said "Mommy Have You Told Daddy About the New Baby Yet?" - Joe Schallan, Phoenix
The most unusual thing I ever found returned in a book was a passport - being used as a bookmark.... - Carol Simmons, Director Daly City Library
Of the many unusual "bookmarks" I have seen returned in books, my favorite would have to be the perfectly pressed marijuana leaf pressed between the pages of a Philosophy text. I was a page at the college library at the time and more than a little amused. I've also found money, tissues (used and unused) straws, candy wrappers, Twinkies (it was a gooey mess), condoms (still in the wrapper, thankfully), religious tracts, airplane tickets (we were able to return them to the great relief of the patrons), invitations (party, wedding, etc.), bus passes, checks, several drivers licenses and other IDs, lottery tickets (not the winning numbers), and a snake skin. I imagine this list will continue to grow as I don't plan on retiring any time soon. - Lynn Schofield-Dahl, Director, Matheson Memorial Library, Elkhorn, WI
A partially depleted package of birth control pills. Very interesting - one wonders about the outcome ??? A silver spoon (not stainless) with dried chocolate ice cream sticking the pages together. The customer was informed about the spoon and damaged book, but never retrieved it nor paid for the book. - Jeannine Humphris, Assistant Administrator / Operations Wichita Falls Public Library
My favorite thing found in a returned book was the waistband of a pair of Jockey shorts. Size 36. The most cash I ever found used as a bookmark was $80. We also found a bra in a book in the stacks, which I guess is technically another topic: Things Found in the Stacks. We were pretty sure the book wasn't returned with this interesting insert, but it certainly provoked some speculation about how and when and why it got there. - Carolyn Trout, Library Director, Joplin Public Library, Joplin, MO
SOURCE: http://libr.org/juice/issues/vol7/LJ_7.1.html#4
"...the Omaha Public Library “has a new trophy in its collection of things used as bookmarks — a slice of bacon.”
The article wryly observed that “the library staff will not undertake to preserve it.” ~ Laine Farley, The Legend of the Bacon Bookmark, BiblioBuffet Website