I have gotten two books in the space of about a week now that the ends have been closed with staples. Please, people - do NOT use staples to close the wrappers on your books - not even if you use tape as well! Many PBSer's have small children who like to help them unwrap the mail - a child could easily slice a finger open on a staple (heck so can an adult as I found out with the first book). Staples also make it easier for a package to get caught up in a sorting machine which makes it more likely that a package might be damaged or destroyed en route to the recipient. Staples also make it harder to recycle/reuse bubble mailers as I at least have found that it is hard to open a stapled mailer without ruining it.

Actually my local PO told me to use them if I wanted to make sure the envelopes stayed closed.   They did ask me to put tape over them which I do.   I'd suggest that if you don't want staples you make that a requestor condition since it's not against the rules here.  

I use them because I've been asked to by other members to with arthritis in their hands - it's easier for them to open instead of many layers of tape. 

I find mailers harder to recycle because of the tape mummification thing - I have to pry the mailer open otherwise, ruining it for future use.

I would say to put this as a RC, like a PP mentioned.

Yup, I don't do it often, but I have found when re-using mailers sometimes staples are about the only way to go to ensure the book stays closed.  I think RC's is the way to go with that one.

I sent out a package today with staples.  It's extremely rare that I use them, but this particular type of mailer is designed to be folded and stapled.  Tape wouldn't have held like the staples did.

ETA: Bren, I mailed you a book package (BOB) on Saturday, and there are no staples, only tape!

I only used staples once, on a bubble mailer that the end had been cut off of so I couldn't fold the edge over. I stapled, then taped it smooth.

So far this hasn't been an issue for me on either end of the deal.  I don't even have a stapler so if I need one it won't be happening.  Seems that there is a division in the thought on how useful these are.  I personally recommend using a small box cutter for light applicaation in opening a package with a lot of tape.  I also use sharp scissors to cut a small piece off one corner.  I don't want to hurt anyone so anyone wanting or not wanting staples should use RC's

Ruth