I admit it.  I am not the brightest bulb on the planet.  Here's my question/questions.  I'm about to run out of stamps and am considering using PBS DC and not purchasing stamps at all.  If I'm reading the help section correctly, anything under one pound will deduct $2.74 from my PBS money.  That much I understand (I think).  I have also read in the forums somewhere that this only applies if the package is over 3/4" thick.  So is it true that if my package is only 1/2" thick I can't use the PBS DC?  Please confirm or deny any part of this.  I'm not really concerned about First Class being cheaper as I have to take them to the PO anyway for them to weigh and mail as I don't have all those little denominations of stamps at home.  I would rather pay the extra postage and mail everything Media Mail and not have to make any PO runs.

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Sharon, you just need to 'plump up' the under 3/4" package with a packing peanut or an extra plastic bag or something like that. Most paperbacks meet the thickness requirement.

Don't confuse the scheduling a carrier pickup with putting your media mail packages out  with your usual outgoing mail. Scheduling a carrier pickup requires a Priority mailing. In most cases, your carrier will pick up your PBS mailings with your normal household mailings.

So far (two years) my carrier has picked up all my stamped media mail with no problem.  I even put a little post-it on them with the weight so they know it's not over 13 ounces.  I have a rural carrier who doesn't have a problem picking up the little packages.  She's driving around in a Jeep, so there's no issue about actually carrying books any distance.  I just want an easy, simple way to mail all my books under a pound (even if they weigh less than seven ounces) without making any unnecessary trips to the PO.  If using PBS DC won't alleviate extra trips to the PO, I'm just as well off buying $2.13 in stamps.  I just thought DC might get the book to its new owner a bit quicker than regular media mail.

Probably not alot quicker, but you have the confirmation number and you have instant credit...and you can just leave them in your mailbox.....they should get picked up.  Apparently there are some mail persons who don't pick up anything left as outgoing mail.  I think they are in the minority.