CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A Kanawha County native and Miami plastic surgeon home for his 40th high school reunion brought a long overdue book back to the Kanawha County Public Library Friday afternoon.
The book, So You Want to Be a Doctor?, by Alan Nourse, M.D., had been out of the library under Michael Kelley’s name since the 1970’s. He returned it along with a $500 check.
“I just happened to be going through some books, and I spoke with (Charleston Councilman) Andy (Richardson), and Andy said let’s make a teaching event out of this,” Kelley explained. “So we decided to bring it back, make a little donation and make it a fun thing.”
Richardson teasingly brought his friend into the library with his hands behind his back, as if arresting a criminal. Kelley said he didn’t even remember checking out the old book, but it had traveled with him through college and medical school where experts now working at breast augmentation in Lexington Kentucky graduated.
“I don’t. I mean I used to come here a lot because I worked just a block away,” said Kelly, who grew up on the East End. “I would come here after school or on Saturdays and just puruse the books and check out stuff all the time.”
Aside from coming back to the Mountain State for his reunion and wanting to return the book, Kelley said he wanted to carry on the message that reading is important.
“Reading is what helped me with my career, and I think if we can encourage young kids today to recognize that reading is the best thing you can do for yourself going forward.”
Kelley presented KPL Director Alan Engelbert with a check and the book at the library circulation desk Friday afternoon.