I was number 1 on a wishlisted book and pow! a copy was listed almost immediately. Then I received a message that my request was denied because the sender "needed to keep the book". I found that interesting :)

Sounds like you were the only wisher at the time that the sender posted the book. She might still be reading it and didn't anticipate having someone already wishing it. If that's the case, she should be posting it as soon as she's finished and then you can get it.

I've had that happen and it is soooo frustrating!!! But in my case it was a book that is rarely listed, I had been #1 for several years and hallelujah! One was listed and I barely had time to celebrate when I got the PM that they decided to keep the book.  Aaaarrrrgggghhhhh!

I actually did this to someone once! So sorry. It was in my first week of being a member.

I'd scooped up a bunch of books that'd been lying around the house for ages and listed them. Someone requested one and

I'd happily grabbed it and started to wrap it when one of my kids happened to wander by and asked "What are you doing with my book?"

When I explained he huffily told me he wanted to keep it. Because in truth I had not checked

with him first I felt I had to cancel...boy was my face red! I now never post a book that I have not checked out first with various family

members. Live and learn!

I am guilty of doing that too...when it came time to mail a particular book I just wasn't ready. I did feel badly though......

Denise

Thanks for all the comments. Just hadn't ever had that happen before.

I did this to someone as well. I had a book series that I wasn't too fond of, so I put all the books on my bookself. Only afterwards did I realize there was ONE particular book in the series I did like and didn't want to part with it. But I couldn't take it off my shelf because all the books were wishlisted. So I had to WAIT until the request came in, knowing that I'd have to deny it, before I could take it off my shelf. That made me feel bad...

I also had one... not a wishlist book... I had it been on my shelf for over a year. But then I needed to write a research paper and I realized the book had information in it that could be useful. So, I went into my account to take it off my shelf and BAM! Somone had requested it. Had to turn them down. :(

I did send them a PM after I put the book back on the shelf, though.

I also had one awhile back.  A member posted it FIFO, was offered to me, then canceled with the comment that her "...husband wasn't ready to trade it yet."  LOL.  Probably a new member, or spring cleaning and got post-happy.  I waited another year but  no more copies were posted so I ordered a used copy from Amazon.

Those of you who have posted books not realizing you might need them are completely understandable to me. It's the ones who intentionally post a book with which they know they aren't finished cancel the request, saying "I didn't expect it to get requested so quickly" that puzzle me...

One time I stupidly posted a library book that I had forgotten to return. I didn't notice until after it was requested and I printed the label, with PBS postage and DC no less! I didn't want to look like an idiot so I didn't admit this when I had to cancel the transaction, I just pretended that I lost the book.
Not only was I out the postage money but I had to pay $7 in overdue library fines.

"It's the ones who intentionally post a book with which they know they aren't finished cancel the request, saying "I didn't expect it to get requested so quickly" that puzzle me..."

This puzzles me doubly - because it's a rare book that I can't finish much less than ten days. Even if I didn't expect such a quick request, I should be able to finish it before I actually have to mail it out.

Several of my books have been read around here (sometimes by more than one person) between the time that the book was requested and the time it was mailed out.