So a book I requested was marked Lost yesterday.  It's coming from HI.  I'm not in a big hurry or anything but I noticed on my WL that the book is back on there and I'm in the number #1 spot.  And it looks like books are being posted fairly often.  So my dilema is... what if I get the Wish List Offer before this Lost book shows up?  Do I accept it with the chance that the first book might show up still then have 2 of the same book or do I turn down WL offers and run the risk of the original request never showing up and I forfeit my first in line status?  Right now I'm just hoping no additional WL offers come up and I can keep waiting on the HI book.  But what do most of you do in this situation?

Quick Jen, put the wishlist book on hold.  PBS guidelines recommend waiting two weeks before you re-order, otherwise you could receive two books (and be out 2 credits).  Media Mail outside the lower 48 states average 3 to 5 weeks travel time, so it's still very possible yours will arrive.

At this point, you can nicely pm the sender and ask if there were any unexpected mailing delays.  Also let the sender know you have not received the book, but if/when it arrives you will mark it received from your transaction archive.

ETA - From the HELP documents:

What you should do if a book you requested is declared Lost in the Mail:

• Contact the sender, to find out if mailing was delayed for some reason.
  • you can do this from your Transaction Archive, using the PM button on this Lost transaction in that list.

• If the mailing was not delayed, the sender should call 800-ASK-USPS or go to http://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/forms/MLNtRcvd.aspx (the Postal Inspection Service's website) and input the information online there . This will help USPS try to recover the book if it truly has been lost in the mail.
• Don't re-request the book for at least 2 weeks, unless you are willing to run the risk of getting two copies (and paying a credit for both).

Keep the book on your wishlist but place that particular book on hold. Then you don't lose your place if the Hawaii book did go lost.

Books I've sent and received from Hawaii (unless sent First Class) take about 6 weeks to arrive, as media mail is sent by ship to them. 

If it were me, and, depending on how many WLers there were, how long I'd been waiting, etc., I'd go ahead and keep the WL open and when and if, I got the second book, I'd immediately post it as it would go fairly quickly.  Pat

Well the sender did use Printable postage w/ DC... so she's got her credit no matter what.  The details still show that initial entry when you use printable postage but nothing after that.  I'm sure it will come.  I had forgotten about the hold.  I think that's what I'll do.  The book is being posted at a minimum weekly, some weeks even more often.  I could repost the extra book if it did come but I don't want to be out the shipping cost... so I guess I'll just put it on hold and wait a while longer.  Thanks for the replies for both sides of the equation especially.

Well, the book came today! Yay!  I'm glad I put the other book on hold.  The post mark was Jan 24 just as the sender had marked.  So maybe this will help others know what to do if they are waiting on a book.  Thanks for all the replies.

Glad to hear that it arrived.

Yuppers Jen, exactly the reason we can't always assume the mailer is in error.  Some books just take more mail time.  Glad your book arrived!!

That's one of the reasons I was in heaven when PBS put the individual wish list hold in effect...the scenario you describe is the perfect one to demonstrate how that works. The nice thing is, if your other book had NOT shown up, you could have taken your book off wishlist hold and gotten the next available copy.

Cheryl