Hi Im new here do you really have to use the tracking and print out label to mail the books, with the price they charge for the tracking and printing not to mention the postage you might as well go buy the book in the store

Thanks Cathy

No you don't HAVE to use them............I hand address all my books and apply my own postage from the post office. Its a matter of what is more convienent for you. 

No, you don't need to use any of the extra services (postage, dc) to swap books. When you are about to print the wrapper, just choose 'no extra services.'

I think the fees at PBS are reasonable. If you mail a 12 oz. book media mail and buy postage at PBS, you would be spending $3 ($2.38 for postage, 0.19 for DC which is obligatory for electronic postage and 0.43 for the PBS fee.) That is assuming you don't buy the exact PBS Money needed for the transaction because that would be another 0.50. But even if you do, we are talking about $3.50 per book. If you have a store where you can buy books for less than that (I know a lot of you do) then it's definitely cheaper for you to go to the store than to swap at PBS. 

Many people just print the address/write the address and add stamps - that's completely fine!

Some people like to get the credit right away without waiting for the other member to mark it received, or worrying about it getting lost, so they get the DC.  Plus, if the book is over 13 ounces, printing the DC on the label allows you to just throw the package in a blue mailbox instead of going into the post office.

Considering that out of over 500 books I've mailed only 2 or so have been marked lost, the odds are definitely in your favor that you'll get the credit without using DC :)

I print my postage from Paypal.  It costs the price of the postage plus .19 for delivery confirmation.  Many people think that DC is  useliess, but I like it.  I like to be able to send it to the recipient so they can track the progress of the book.

BTW, you are not required to use PBS postage. 

I do use PBS DC for books that are going over water.  Such as APOs, PR, GU, AK and HI.  Those books seem to take forever if they are media mail.  This helps me get my credit faster.  But I rarely use it on other books unless I am low on credits. 

Welcome to PBS!