the residue from the plastic wrap that sticks directly to a book?  I received two books wrapped in the stuff and it has left a sticky feeling on the covers that actually sticks to other surfaces. 

I emailed the sender, in case they didn't know this would happen...I don't want my credits back...but I would like to get that gunk off of the books!

Thanks!

Did they use the press n seal stuff?  I was able to get sticker glue off a book with mineral oil on a Qtip. I put some of the oil in a dixie cup and lightly dipped the qtip into and then very gently used it on the book.  You have to be very careful so you don't damage the book.  I wrap my books in saran wrap before I mail them and have received many books this way w/o a problem. 

if you have any alcohol pads like they use at the doctors office, they work very well to get the sticky off.

A little bit of Goo Gone might work.  That stuff worked miracles on one of my books that had scotch tape residue all over it.

I've also had good success with hand sanitizer (you can find a sample bottle at Walmart or drugstores, in the sample bins). There is enough alcohol in it to get the glue off, without moistening the books.

ETA: Hubby prefers to use a cheap hairspray that has a high alcohol content.

Thanks - I'll try the alcohol first and then work my way through the others if it doesn't work!

Doesn't it say somewhere along the way as you are printing out the wrapper not to use press-and-seal?  I thought it did.  If so, not even a newbie has an excuse, IMO.