Someone requested a book from me and I was not able to get it mailed and/or marked as mailed in the time allowed.  As I knew I had the only copy in the system, I PMed the requestor and apologized that I was not able to send the book in the allotted time frame,  and would she still like the book?  Her response was, "Please go ahead and mail it. No other copies are available and it is on my Wishlist. I will put those on the wishlist on "hold" and mark your's "received" when I get it." 

I went ahead and mailed it without really thinking.  But now I'm wondering how can she mark it received if the system doesn't know I mailed it?  I understand if got lost, then finally received but I don't know how this situation works.  Heck, she may know, but I didn't want to seem argumentative by questioning her. 

Thoughts from those more versed in PBS?

She can mark it received from the transaction archive. 

Here's a link to the Help doc on this issue: I received a book from a canceled transaction!

Thanks!  I should have looked at the help section a little closer.

How long after the request was cancelled did you end up mailing it?

There are a couple of things you perhaps could have done:

1. Before the book order was cancelled, you could mark it mailed and then mail it out later. PBS rules allow for marking a book mailed and then actually getting it in the mail up to 2 days later (without a PM).  And, if you PM and get permission from the book requestor (like you did), it is possible to make a "side arrangement" to mail even later than that, as long as both people agree.

2. After the request was cancelled, you could repost the book, either to FIFO, or directly to her Wish List. That way you would have a new regular transaction.

But, yes, she can mark the book received from her Transaction Archive.

The better thing might have been to post the book to her WL and create a new transaction.

This is the second time in my last 3 requests that a member  has marked the book sent but 3 weeks and counting later it has not arrived.  If it was sent late shouldn't it be required for the member to at least email the requestor to see if this is acceptable.  Waiting a month from the date the member marks it shipped is too long I think without hearing anything at all.  The first time it happened the sender did not email me to let me know of any delay, she sent it 3 weeks later via priority mail.  The book was not in good condition.  It was so tanned that the pages were falling out of the spine.  I requested it b/c my book group was reading it.  In the meantime I had to buy a trade paperback to keep up with my group.

Has this happened often to anyone else?  Kathleen

Yes Kathleen, IIRC PBS guidelines say a sender that is delayed over 14 days (?) should pm to see if the requester still needs the book.  I haven't used the new log-in RWAP option, but I believe there is a way to mark late mailings using the updated system. 

If you suspect a book has been mailed 'very late' check the packaging carefully.  Postmarks are not always a good indicator, as they can be applied anywhere enroute.  Counter postage is the best clue.  I've received a couple PBS books with counter postage dated 2 or 3 weeks after the sender marked it mailed.  OTOH, we've had members report receiving books 4 to 6 months late (one even a year later) with counter postage indicating it was mailed exactly when the sender said they mailed.  Go figure.