Ok, got a question...yes, I know the Help Center says I have to mark a lost book received BUT, I have found there is a major fly in the ointment if this book does ever arrive.

when the book didn't arrive and was declared Lost I contacted the sender to see if she was going to file a Lost Book thing with the USPS or did she want me to.  well, there were really cryptic responses and so, I just kind of wrote it off, I had decided I didn't want the book anyway and was going to take it off my WL if and when I ever took my WL off Vacation Hold.  Well, this evening I got a message saying she mailed it a little over 2 weeks ago and had I received it yet....I messaged back and asked her "are you saying you only mailed the book a little over 2 weeks ago when you actually marked it mailed 7 weeks ago."  She messaged back and said "that is correct."

Now, am I understanding it correctly...since she did not contact me and she actually mailed the book after it went lost, I do not have to give her the credit?

Update down the page a bit...

I can't find anywhere that says you don't have to mark it received.  The rule is when a lost book arrives you have to mark it received.  I agree she was out of line, especially since she didn't communicate, but the only scenario I know if when you don't have to mark a book received is if the sender forgets to mark it mailed causing you to receive 2 copies of the same book.  And even then, many members will mark both copies received, and just post the second copy to recoup their credit.

One thing I would definitely do would be to mark the postmarked date when I marked it received so that it is clear that she mailed it late, and if you want to you could also reference the PM exchange you had with her.

Hi Christy,

Even though they were at fault by not contacting you about mailing the book so late, I think the Help Center is pretty clear about Marking "Lost" Books recieved from your Transaction Archive. Yes, the other member was wrong in not contacting you to ask, but if the book comes the right thing to do is to mark it received. This is from the Help Doc " I received a book that was 'lost in the mail'" . "Lost books must be marked received when/if they arrive, to keep your account in good standing." .

She was wrong in sending it much later than the original mail date, however you are required to mark it recieved, just be sure to note the VERY LATE mail date on the package.

It is a fly in the ointment, but I think, unfortunately you lose on this stinker. You are correct that a book mailed after the lost date in the PBS system will not have to be marked received if another copy was received. It does have to be mailed after the lost date, not just mailed late and showing up after the lost date. Since you did not get another copy, I think you have to give her the credit. Maybe you could contact TPTB and see if you can deny delivery or something.

From the Help Center on mailing a book late:

If you are mailing a book VERY late and the book has already been marked lost in the Mail at PBS, you must contact the requestor using the PM button on the lost in mail transaction in your Transaction Archive, to be sure that the requestor still wants the book.

• If she replies that she does still want it you can mail it to her.  She can mark it received from her Transaction Archive and you will get credit at that time.
• If she replies that she does not want it (she may have gotten a copy from someone else in the meantime), you should repost the book for someone else to request.
• If she does not respond to your PM, you should repost the book.  It will be offered to her automatically if she still wants a copy.
• You should not mail a "lost" book to the original requestor unless she has confirmed that she still wants it in a Personal Message.  If you mail it and she has already gotten another copy, she will NOT be obligated to mark the book received, or to return it to you.

I think I will contact TPTB and get a ruling on this...I no longer want the book or I would have reordered it already. She is only now telling me that she just mailed it and considering she marked it mailed 7 weeks ago and she actually only mailed it a little over 2 weeks ago and she didn't follow the guidelines......will update when I have a ruling!!!

Update - I didn't have to contact TPTB...sent her a polite note, "I wish you had of contacted me before you mailed this book since you did so after it went lost. I would have told you I was no longer interested in receiving this book."  And then I posted the nice little section from the Help Center (the info in the post above)...

She responded right back and told me to just not open it and mark it "return to sender"

Whew....I'm glad that headache is resolved!!!

That worked out very well.  She may have to pay return postage, if it was send media mail, but it is a good solution.