Received a hardback book today witht he book cover only being held on to the book by the mesh type thing that's about 6" long (hard to explain). If not for this "mesh-like thing' the cover would be completely separate from the actual book.  This involves both the front and back cover.  I know that this extremely cold weather is playing havoc on book covers coming away from the books.  (I had to return one to B&N before Christmas for this reason).  Do I mark the book RWAP or let it go? Other than the cover and book being two separate pieces (almost), it's a wonderfully lovely book.   It's a new book, published in June 2009.  It's completely unpostable (which isn't really a problem, as it's one DH wants to keep).   Pat

I would mark it RWAP and not ask for my credit back.

That's what I was thinking.  Thanks.  Pat

I would have marked it RWAP and asked for my credit back. I think I know what you mean, and  I don't think that that is the type of damage that could happen in the mail.

I did mark it RWAP, but didn't ask for my credit back (it was offered).  I don't think the PO damaged it, it seems to be something about books being done so cheaply these days, and cold weather will pull them apart like that.  As I said, I had to take one back to B&N before Christmas for the same problem.  The man at B&N was familiar with the problem.  He said to open the new book very gently.  Pat

I had two situations recently where books were damaged solely due to the cold weather.

First, I purchased a brand new book and took it to work with me to read over my lunch hour. I left it in my car parked outside that morning and when I picked it up, the cover just slipped off. It hadn't been loose when I put it in my car.

Then yesterday I received a book in the mail that looked perfect. But when I opened it to page through it, I heard a surprisingly loud crack and the spine broke just from me paging through it.

Neither of these books were handled roughly, it was just a matter of being exposed to below freezing temperatures (we've been below freezing here for over a week) and probably cheap construction.

The mesh like thing is the super, or "crash", and is applied to the spine of the book. It's a strip of mesh fabric designed to be glue penetrable.  They're glued to the cover boards of a hardcover book, get hidden beneath the cover material on the outside & endpapers on the inside.  It's basically there to stabilize the book inside the cover, and if it's hanging out like that, there's been significant damage to the spine & it's doubtful this was done by the USPS, unless you had open packaging & some other damage to the book.  In any case, I don't think cold weather would be a factor.  And not that HC's  can't be damaged like that en route, but you should see other damage on the cover to indicate that as well, and if you don't, this is likely something that just came apart after a lot of reading & handling.

What Kim said, the mesh is a cover/spine reinforcement material.  It shouldln't be visible if the book is in good/postable condition.  Like Kim, I've only seen this type of damage in well used books.

When mailing large, heavy, or hardback books, I usually under wrap in plastic or paper then apply a snug band of packing tape all the way around the short direction (front cover, spine, back cover, page edges, & back over front cover).  This helps support the book from USPS damage.  The book is then wrapped in whichever outer mailing material I've chosen.