I've got some books by a specific author that I'm getting close to getting on my wishlist, and I started an RC for when these books do come up because they're books I'd simply like to collect. I've been a member for a while now, and know the problems some people have with some RC's when it comes to opinions and smells and shape of the book, so I wanted to be very specific, and wrote this

"If this is a hardcover book by "author", then I simply request that the dust jacket be present. Any other book, please ignore this RC. Thanks!".

You would not believe, or maybe you would, all the cancels I'm getting! I even got one that said "This isn't a book by that author, nor is it a hardcover, so I can't send you this book." Well, duh! 

I had to change my RC for a similar reason. Some people just seem to have a lot of trouble making sense of the word "IF."

Oh, I should add that it might be easier to just add the RC to those particular books. Just make sure they're not on auto-request, then when the offer comes up you can just add one before accepting.

I've only had a problem once with someone not understanding my dustjacket RC so am always amazed when someone gets a rash of confused people.

Could you put the books you want it to apply to on Auto-request - NO and then only turn the RC on before accepting an offer on those? That would eliminate the confusion on other books.

I'd not worry about the clueless turn downs because, really, if they have that much comprehension what are the odds they actually got their book posted correctly?

I'm only bummed about the turn-downs because those were books I was waiting for too. I'll have to wait for the next ones. 

Cassie, if it were me in your situation, I would just have an RC to have all your hardcovers to have their dustjackets. It might be less confusing. That way, you would get all the books with their dustjackets, including the author you are looking for, without stating his/her name.

dont feel bad, we have all been the recipient of the "clueless turn down". just part of the process sometimes.

You can always just turn your RC 'ON' when these books are posted to you, before accepting (or when ordering from FIFO). Just make sure they aren't on auto-request.

This is what I do for hardcover books that I'd like to include the dust-jacket. I have my RC turned off & then I leave a 'personal note' on the books that I prefer to have a dust-jacket with, to remind myself to turn the RC on before ordering or accepting.

Someone requested a book from me and her RC was something like this.

If this is a hardback book that I'm requesting, the dust jacket needs to be included. If this is a paperback that I'm requesting, please send it.

It wasn't confusing and I knew exactly what she meant.

Thanks Amber, I'm going to change it to something like that.

I also have a hardcovers with dust jackets RC, and you'd be amazed at how many turn downs I get when I order a paperback book. Like Melanie said, there's always going to be clueless people who won't understand no matter what your RC says. 

There are some hardback books that do not come with dust covers.  I have a lot of hardback books that never had a dust cover.  These are non fiction books that are mosting sewing, quilting and crafting books. 

This is why I only turn my RC on for certain books. For a bunch of readers a lot of people don't actually read the RC. :)

I coul;dn't find the one RC that I mentioned, but I did find this one that might be better for you.

If I have ordered a hardcover book, I would prefer hardback books with their dust jackets (if the book originally had one) although this is not always necessary.

Here's my RC. I pilfered parts of it ;-P but as I said, I've only had one person get confused and she actually accepted and PMed me to make sure.

If I ordered a book listed as a paperback in the system, I have no other conditions. I can't wait to read it :)  If I ordered a 2000 or newer Hardcover, please include dust jacket.  All older hardcovers are okay if there is no dust jacket.

The hardcover books in question do have dust jackets. I know because they're a series of books, 13 total, and I already have 3 of them.

Several weeks ago, I added an RC that said that all hardcover books come with their dust jackets, and one book order was canceled because the book didn't come with a dust jacket.  But the book I ordered was a PAPERBACK!!!

Some people just don't take the time to think sometimes...

Here is my RC. It hardly ever gets turned down (I seem to have good luck, only get turn downs when the book really doesn't have the dustjacket). I found I needed the line about the paperback ... otherwise I was getting occasional turn downs "because this is a paperback book, not a hardcover"

If the book is hardcover, I would like it to have the dustjacket. If the dustjacket is old, worn, or torn, this is OK.

If the book is a hardcover and has an illustrated cover but not a dustjacket, this is OK.

If the book is paperback, I have no special conditions.

Thanks very much!

If you turn on the RC to request a book and then turn it off, what happens when it rolls to the next person?  Will it still have the RC?

LOL  Never ceases to amaze me that readers can't comprehend RCs.

If you turn on the RC to request a book and then turn it off, what happens when it rolls to the next person?  Will it still have the RC?

Yes, the RCs with stay with that request until it is filled or the system runs out of books to request.

I've also had a lot of confusion over RC. I recentl had one that said something like " no hardcovers without dust jackets please. Children's books with illustrated covers as opposed to hardcovers are ok to send" you'd be surprised how many rejects I had or just had them sent anyway. One member fought my RWAP because she said that it said it was ok to send a childs book with no DJ. I got all kinds of responses. So I had to just clarify it to No hardcovers without dust jackets and left it that. It seems to be working fine. I've found the more info you have in the RC, the more confusion it causes.

Besides my RCs for all books - no heavy smoke smell, no writing on text pages - I also have an RC for specific books.  I collect the Nancy Drew series, and most people don't know that many years ago the original books were seriously revised, and differ from the original issue.  But the original versions were reissued by Applewood Books, and I wanted the dust jackets included.  So for my RC, I include the words "For Nancy Drew Books ONLY" in large, bold, and underlined letters.  So far, I've had no problems.  (Of course, the Applewood books don't get listed very often.)  My suggestion is, if you have RCs for only certain books, make that part stand out.  Use bold, or change the font and/or size of the text.

Frankly, the original RC as mentioned by Cassie is very clear to me.  I'm amazed that anyone could misconstrue it.

After a lot of problems I've had before, I found this one works for me:  mention the stuff that has NO RC first.

If this book is a paperback, it must be in good condition as required by PBS.  The rest of this does not apply.

If this book is a hardcover: it MUST have the dustcover.  Library plastic over the cover is OK.

Library copies are OK.  In fact, I prefer library hardcovers for my collection.

This is my example of having an RC for a particular book.

If this is the request for "The First Man in Rome" by Colleen McCullough, I am looking for a hardcover with dustcover.   Please decline this request if your book is not hardcover and/or does not come with the dustcover.

Thank you and Happy Reading!!!

I used to have many RC's declined until I started specifying the actual book, instead of generalizing.  Also DO NOT RESTATE THE SITE GUIDELINES.  This, most times, will get you an automatic decline.

Well, my original RC was because I want the Wizard of Oz books (there are 14 in the series), all made together by the same publisher, hardcover with dustjackets, and the Outlander series. My RC originally stated:

If this is a hardcover book by L. Frank Baum or Diana Gabaldon, please make sure the dust jacket is present. Thanks! :)

So, a wishlist book came up, some romance novel, and the sender declined, saying "Since this is not a book by either author, i guess you don't want it"

What?