Hi, I just got an e-mail from PBS Libraian asking if I got a book yet.  The book is coming from Hawaii and I know it takes some time coming from so far away.  Took almost a month for one to get to me from Alaska.  Is it common from PBS to send an email before the estimated arrival date.  I PM'd the sender and let her know that as soon as I get it, I'll let her know as well.  Thanks.  Here's what is in the details page for the book.

Yes.  They sent an email a week before the lost date and another one around the lost date.  After the lost date you can mark the book recieved in the transaction archive.  The media mail books that travel over water are very slow.  They usually add a week to the time frame as well.

The emails are automated. They are sent by date ... "X many days after mailing" or whatever.  There is no need to respond to PBS or to the sender about them.

I have a book coming from Hawaii too.  I wonder if we have the same sender. 

The first book I requested came from Hawaii and it took 6 weeks. 

Here is a change in transit times were changed to account for the longer delivery times.  Hope this helps.

We have extended the allotted transit time for requests in these accounts to 35 days (the transit time for books sent within the contiguous US is 26 days).  Military and diplomatic (APO/FPO/DPO) accounts are affected, as well as accounts in AK, GU, HI, PR, VI etc.  Requests made by any account to be sent to an APO/DPO/FPO address have Requestor Conditions attached to the requests automatically by the system.  The other accounts (which are technically in the US and do not involve any other postal service other than USPS) do not have Requestor Conditions but requests to or from them will bear the notation that the book may take longer to arrive because one of the members is outside the contiguous US.   We think this will prevent some of the temporarily "lost" books that can confuse members.  As always, the Help docs to which to refer members who have questions about this are If you are sending or requesting a book from outside the continental/contiguous US... and/or Information for members at APO/FPO/DPO addresses in the Help Center.

Thanks everyone!

I just recived one today from Honolulu and it was mailed 8/11. 

I had gotten that email too, even though my person uses PBS postage and tracking and I could look and see that it was still in CA when that email was sent to me.