I received a book today, non-WL, that I ordered via FIFO.  The book is in perfect condition except for one thing--it looks like someone stabbed it with an ice pick through the front paperback cover to about 40 pages through, right in the middle of the book, so yes, some letters in the print are punched out and the pages stick together at the puncture wound.  It could have been a nail or a thorn instead of an ice pick, but that gives you some indication of the size of the wound.  Anyway, I didn't find anything about this in the Help Center and the Tour Guide I asked could only direct me to the info I already had, which says nothing about stab wounds, only tears and chews.  I haven't marked the book received yet.  

I was going to add it to my collection of Native American information library (it is about the Trail of Tears), so I wasn't going to repost, so I think I should mark it as OK and just shoot a PM to the sender--but saying what?  There is no way that anyone wrapped that up (very carefully in plastic and then in an envelope) and didn't see the puncture (the outside wrapper wasn't damaged). On the other hand, I'd rather have an undamaged copy for my collection.

What to do?

If parts of words are missing due the stab wounds, then the book has tears in it.  I'd definitely hit the RWAP button if I got a book like that. 

You must ask yourself, "Will I always fixate on that hole?" "is it possible they knew the hole was there and didn't care?" Does it obliterate any of the printed text?"

If the answer is yes ,yes, and yes,,,RWAP

Help Center states that none of the text should be obscured... I'd RWAP.

The book is clearly damaged and it sounds like the holes would interfere with the readability. I'd RWAP. Especially if it was something I planned on adding to a permanent collection.

I would RWAP and ask for my credit back. There is no way I would ignore a hole that went through the first 40 pages.

I'd RWAP but I'd only ask for my credit back IF I wasn't able to use the book in any way.

No - that isn't a rule of PBS, it's just how I do it.

It's up to you if you want that credit back or not.

It's definitely a RWAP, the pages can't be torn like that. Or cut, as the case may be.

I marked the book RWAP, then wrote the sender, thanking her for her time and effort, explaining what the problem was and I told her that a credit return was not necessary.  

That's definitely a "tear" in my opinion.  By the way, I got a chuckle out of your subject/title!  What did this poor book do to deserve such punishment???!!!

Mary in KY

I just can't believe anyone would mail a book with a puncture in it!

I agree with the others - RWAP even if the book is usable for you, even if you don't request a credit back. This is a flagrant violation of conditions, and if someone is willing to overlook that, there's no telling what they'll send the next person. This person needs some experience in (mild) consequences: if I send out a book like that, I get a black mark on my record. Either they'll learn, or their account will get suspended - which is good both for PBS and (in the long run) for the offending member.

Since text pages are damaged (punctured, obscured), I would consider that RWAP.  Requesting a credit return, is of course up to you.

Did you get an responce? One has to wonder how a sender would miss that or why they would think it was postable!

I have five dollars that says the answer will be "I got it that way."

No response from the sender as of 5:25 Sat afternoon.  Mary, I'm glad you enjoyed my little 'stab' at humor!

 Admittedly I have thrown a book or two across the room because it was just that horrible at the moment but never did it cross my mind to stab it....  LOL

I loved your subject line too!  My money is on it having been "chewed or gnawed" by a tyrannosaurus.

Possibly a tyrannosourus with one cuspid in the upper jaw missing!   Do lizards like that regrow teeth liike sharks? 

I ordered a book for another person using one of my credits  as I have been doing sometimes as a RAOK.  Today i received a report that it arrived but the top and bottom of the back cover (a hardback) had been chewed by a dog/cat and the tooth marks go all the way through the cover.  For some strange reaason this situation where I ordered a book for another person (send to another person) didn't offer me the option of marking it RWAP.  Does anybody know if that option isn't available for books ordered for another?  Anyway, I  didn't ask for the credit back, but I offered to order another book for that person.  (I have LOTS OF CREDITS so it's no hardship for me.)

Does anybody know if that option isn't available for books ordered for another?

yes, it is not available in that case.

What Sara said -- since we can't personally inspect the book, we can't mark it RWAP.  Sorry that happened!!

Do lizards like that regrow teeth liike sharks?

Not any more...

I wish there was a way to have "Send-to-Another-PBS-Member" that would allow RWAP, since presumably another PBS member is able to inspect the gift book for damage. I suppose that in that case, though, one could always just buddy the credit to the friend, and she could order the book for herself.

I finally heard back from her.  Nice 70 year old former professor who says she really didn't notice and would not have sent it out if she had.  She offered me replacements from her shelf and was very kind.  That's the right kind of PBS member ;)  I'm not going to take her up on her offer, but I thought it was gracious of her to offer ;)  I marked the transaction resolved.

I'm glad it worked out for you.  She sounds very lovely.

I'm glad you got a response and that she was pleasant about it.

I wonder if she was a professor of paleontology and is keeping a couple of mini t-rex clones as pets.