(Sorry for format problems)

1. A book I had mailed has come back to me. I sent it (as I always do) with PBS postage including DC (thus I do have my quick credit)
2. I read the help docs. They said, "You should contact the requestor to let him/her know that the books was returned, and to confirm the address". 
3.  I PMed:

This book was returned to me for some reason. I am supposed to confirm that your address is correct. I sent it to:

[PBS member
3333 Street Ave
City, ST zip+4]

Please confirm that this is correct and that you would still like the book. Thanks.

4. I remembered that I could check the DC details. They said: 11/26/2008 10:45 AM - Undeliverable as Addressed 

5. I sent a second PM adding:

I just checked the DC details. They say "undeliverable as addressed". I am kind of not sure why I should have to pay for postage again, if your address on the PBS label is the reason it could not be delivered.

6. The requestor PMed saying:" the only problem that I would see is that is missing the APT # xxx"

7. I clicked reprint the label. The address definitely did NOT include the apartment number. I click "hand write label". That address DID have the apartment number.

8. I PMed: "I just printed the label straight off the PBS site. There was definitely no apartment number listed. Maybe you should check your settings and make sure it is included so that future books can get to you. "

Now I have questions.

• Why does one address label show the apartment and the other doesn't? (Is it because she edited her address after my PM, but the "reprint" label doesn't update?)
• She has not said whether she still wants the book. Am I required to re-send it? (Help says not-- if the delivery problem was her error.) If I do re-send it, can I use the "reprint" label and hand write the apartment number? (The original is covered with stamps/sticker and is not readable) Would I need to pay postage again? If I can't use the "reprint" label, how do I get a new PBS label?
• What else do I need to know that I haven't thought of?!

BTW: there are 25 "wishers" for this book.

Well, something is screwy here - she obviously input her apartment number at some point since it is showing up in the hand address option.  I'd err on the side of saying this one isn't her fault and I'd re-send it.  I'd again advise her to double check her address in the system so she doesn't have this problem again.  I would assume she still wants the book or she wouldn't have ordered it in the first place.  I am not sure as to the answer to your postage questions, maybe someone here who uses printable postage would know.

Yes you will have to pay postage again if you decide to remail/relabel. But I had the same thing happen to me and I called the postmaster in the town it was suppose to be delivered and he assured me that it should have been delivered no matter what as long as the address was correct. He gave me a form number to tell my post office (don't remember what it was) and his name and they remailed it free of charge, plus it got there the next day.

Hmm. I would contact PBS about this one. It may be a glitch that they can fix.  Maybe they'll give you a credit for the error to reimburse you for the postage.  At this point if you sent it to her again, the book would go lost and she would go back on the WL to #1 (if that's where she was when you posted the book).  She might end up with two. 

Here is what the Help Center says:

You are not obligated to re-send the book to the requestor if this happened due to a problem with the requestor's address.   If the book was not damaged when it came back to you, and you do not want to re-send the book to the previous requestor, you can simply repost it.

If the book was returned to you through an error on the requestor's part, you can ask him or her for an extra credit (or money for the postage) to re-send the book,

Personally, I would not be of a mind to send it to the requestor but, would consider only if they sent me in advance another credit....the error is her fault.

You will definitely have to repay for the postage and I'd doubt the USPS would send it again for free since the address was incomplete.

If Requestor's address was originally wrong and then after you mailed the book the requesting member added the apartment number, you are not obligated to resend the book.

If the requestor still wants it, they'll need to re-order it and spend another credit.  There is no reason the original sender should be out another set of postage without compensation if the book return was the fault of the requesting member having the wrong address in the system originally.  Help center says to PM requestor and confirm address, but does not state that the Sender has to resend the book if the problem was on the requesting member's side.  (Sender should resend the book at his/her own expense if the problem was that they hand-addressed the label wrong, but not if they printed a label and used the printed label.)

It sounds as if that's what happened here, that's the only reason I see that the label originally printed without apartment number and now it shows up.  If this is indeed the case, that Requestor corrected their address information after original mailing date, the Sender is not obligated to resend the book.

Before assuming she has changed her address since then, contact R&R.  If it's a system glitch they should give you the credit for resending it.

I am surprised that missing the Apt # caused it to bounce, unless it was a huge apartment or they don't have names on the mailboxes there.

Whether it means anything or not, I don't know, but the apartment number is 3 digits.

I have submitted it to R&R.

The PO will not deliver to an apartment if there is no apartment #.  I've sent out lots of letters without it and they all come back needing that apartment #.  Pat

This definitely sounds like a PBS team question.  They can see when exactly the address was updated in the system to help you determine where the error in the missing apartment # occurred.

Yes, click on (don't hover over) the Help Center, and use the "Contact the PBS Team" option to send feedback.  If the apt # is not showing, even though she entered it, they'll definitely want to know!

Response:

Dear K,

This was caused by a system problem - it was not the requestor's fault. This was our fault, and we will fix it ASAP and we thank you very much for bringing it to our attention.

The apt # should not go in the c/o line (it should go into the main address line) but the requestor couldn't know that, and the c/o line SHOULD print out.

We will fix this in the system so that the c/o line prints out on ALL wrappers, and in the meantime we have refunded your postage, so that you can re-send this package....

The PaperBackSwap Team

Gotta Love That PBS Team!

Team PBS ROCKS!

Someone said that their letters were never delivered without an Apartment #.  I live in an apartment complex with 4 apartments and I get mail ALL THE TIME that does NOT have our apartment # on it, it still gets delivered to us!

I have lived in apartments and if it is a HUGE complex then most of the time the PO won't deliver without the apt #.  I'm not talking about 4 apts like Kristi, but hundreds of apartments within one complex.

But I'm glad that it was resolved by PBS, they are great!

PBS is amazing as always!  Glad you got your postage back!  :)