Its way to hot for people to be wrapping books in plastic. I hate it the plastic is all stuck to the books. Besides we have a PO BOX so its not going to be laying outside.

Unfortunately, not all members enjoy the same conditions as you, and a plastic outer wrapping can help provide extra protection from outside damage.  It adds an extra inner layer of wrapping stronger than most paper layers.  I have actually had books arrive safely to me ONLY because of that plastic inner wrapping (outer paper envelope/wrapping having been shredded by USPS).

Not all plastic used is the stick-to-the books cling wrap and they are not all affected the same way by summer temperatures. 

I guess it all comes down to preference.  Personally, I'd much prefer the added protection than to receive books not plastic wrapped.  I thank the members who considerately take this extra step for my books.

LOL, different strokes Kay.  I prefer my books in any type of plastic protection.  I live in a mild climate, but often wet ... we've had rain almost every day for the past several weeks.  Seeing some of the hot temps in other parts of the country tho, I can understand your point. 

Have you considered an RC that given your climate plastic wrap isn't necessary this time of year?  I started using plastic all the time after receiving a very nice RC explaining about the requestors climate needs...it made me more aware of the different climate areas under the PBS umbrella!

I wish we had some rain all the grass every where looks like straw.

We're having extreme storms along with the heat, how do you propose the book get safely from a sender in inclement weather to your PO box? If I would toss a book in a blue box without plastic it has good odds of getting wet. If you don't want plastic use an RC, otherwise senders will wrap according to their own condtions.

I would also suggest using an RC.  Many times I wrap my books in some kind of plastic to keep it from getting any rain/water damage during shipping.  However, if I knew someone didn't want their books wrapped that way, I wouldn't do it.

Say you do not want plastic around your books in an RC.  Easy to do.

With the storms that just went through this area, I am glad that most of the members I ordered from wrapped in plastic. Mail box or not my orders would have gone straight into the trash.  I myself would not send a book without putting cardboard on top and bottom then placing it in a plastic bag. Then wrapping it.  I send books out the way I wish I would get them in LOL

Clearly a case of 'damned if you do, damned if you don't'. I've seen so many threads of members wishing that PBS would make plastic wrap a mandatory step in book wrapping to protect against the wetter elements. This is the first I've seen someone complain about the secondary protection that plastic wrap provides. There's just no pleasing everyone in a large and vocal crowd. 

I agree with the others. Make an RC and your problems will be solved.

Use an RC.  People wrap in plastic as a kindess. Sheesh.

Was it a plastic wrap that is typically used for wrapping food products, like cling wrap? Then yes, I can see that it might be a problem with becoming stuck to the book. I may be mistaken, but I thought I had read that plastic cling wrap was NOT recommended to wrap books in. I wouldn't want to receive a book with plastic stuck to it and risk damaging the book by trying to remove it.

I use plastic store bags. I cut them open to fit the book, then wrap it like a gift. Then I wrap the book with a sturdy outer wrapping, like brown bags or manila envelopes. It's a great way to recycle those awful plastic store bags we all seem to have excess of and they won't stick to the book.

If you have been getting books with plastic stuck to them a RC stating 'No plastic cling wrap' should solve that problem.

Janet, PBS guidelines ask members not to wrap in the 'self sticky' plastic wrap.  It has an additional adhesive layer that actually sticks to things, including books.  Regular plastic food Saran/Cling wrap sticks only to itself (under most normal conditions) and does not damage books.

Regarding the OP, I'm sure most members will be happy to comply if you use a nice RC that explains your climate requirements.

I got one RC that said, because the mailman left packages under their plants, which had automatic sprinklers that dripped, they wanted the books sealed in a ZIp-Loc bag. It wasn't hard to provide (and they thanked me for doing it), but I think I'd put out a sign for the mailman.

That said, whenever it rains, any magazines I get are almost unreadable. You'd think after 200 years or so, they'd have figured out how to deliver mail so it doesn't get sopping wet every time it rains.

I got a PM once saying the package had arrived torn and soaking wet, but the plastic-wrapped book inside was perfect. So I'm unmoved by complaints about plastic-wrapped books.

I wrap in plastic, because I like to get books that way and have a plastic RC (my mail carrier walks and sometimes sets packages on the porch if there are a lot of them even though I have a huge mailbox).  I have had issues with water damaged books but, though I've seen some slightly soft plastic wrappings in the heat,have never had a book ruined due to plastic.  I would be happy to comply, however, with a "no plastic RC," so that is probably the best solution.

The one time I was in a hurry to beat the mailman coming to my house and didn't put plastic wrap on the book, was the time that there was minimal water damage from the weather.  Thankfully the sender was super nice - credit was offered but declined.

If you had an RC I would have no problem not wrapping in plastic.  For the most part I use plastic.  I've had my mail carrier leave the door on my mailbox cracked during thunderstorms.  If the book wasn't wrapped in plastic it would've been ruined.  All my other mail was soaked.  

This is a first, someone complaining about books actually being wrapped in plastic. lol

My idea of " wrapping in plastic" does NOT mean in clingwrap--- it means in a plastic bag with opening taped shut or a ziplock bag.

I always wrap in plastic because the weather where I live definitely is sure to be different than the weather where you live. Plus I have a walking mailman, so that means on rainy/snowy days any books coming to me or being mailed from my home are going to get wet...so using plastic makes sense to me. I use whatever plastic I have on hand, sometimes reusing cling wrap that I have gotten books in, sometimes in plastic shopping bags, cut up but I am always trying to recycle the plastic rather than throwing it out. Everyone has their own preferences for both wrapping and receiving and as others have said, if it is THAT important to you, then have an RC!

Actually, I don't believe wrapping books in a plastic bag alone (example: from Walmart, etc.) will protect from moisture. 

I have had products that have sweated inside the bag - the moisture comes through to the outside.  Likewise, I've had moisture on the outside of a shopping bag make it's way into and make damp a product inside the bag.  At least, that has been my experience. 

So to be on the safe side, I wrap in cling wrap and then, if I have multiple books to send, I put them all in a Walmart bag, tied tight with the shipping address taped over on the outside, then shipped in an envelope or box (depending on the size/weight of the books)  in an effort to get the complete order to the requesting member without damaged/missing books.   

Not saying it's the best way, but I've had good luck in having my books make it to the other end safe and sound, and I've shipped hundreds of books.

We sometimes get stuff that is damp from the mailman's sweat!  (He carries the mail on his arm, so the bottom edges of envelopes tend to get wet.)  I agree with everyone--if you don't want plastic, use an RC.

I received a paperback book today that was shipped in a manila envelope.  When the book was delivered, the envelope had been ripped in several places by post office machinery, even though the sender had taped the edges.  I was worried that the book had been damaged, but when I opened the envelope, I found that the book has also been wrapped tightly in a plastic bag (not cling wrap) and securely taped.  The book was in excellent condition and totally undamaged!  Believe me, I was relieved.  Having that extra protection was a real blessing.  No RWAP for the sender and a pristine book for me!