This is the first time this has happened to me.... I received an empty PBS envelope but there was no book. I was going to mark it received with a problem - Damaged by USPS but then I thought about it.... I didn't actually receive anything. If USPS had actually delivered a book to me damaged I would mark it as such, but I think if I mark it that way now it makes it seem as though I actually have the book in my possession when I don't. So I'm thinking I might let this time out and go lost. It was sent with delivery confirmation, so I would think the sender still gets her credit if it goes lost. What do you guys think?

From the Help Center:

I received an empty wrapper--no book inside!

If this is a book you requested, you should not mark the book received, since you did not get the book.  You should contact the sender to let him or her know what happened.  

• The sender should call 800-ASK-USPS or go to http://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/forms/MLNtRcvd.aspx  and input the information online there. This will help USPS try to recover the book.

  • The form is titled "mail Theft"; this does not mean that you can use it only if you think the book was stolen.  "Received without contents" is an option on the page.
  • The choice to make under "Class" on the form if Media Mail was used is "Parcel Post".

• If you think that the Wrapping method may have contributed to the loss of the book, please do give (gentle) feedback to the sender; you can refer to All Help documents about bookwrapping if you like. 

• If you have marked the book received by mistake (or if the system marked the book received for you while you were absent from PBS), you can also discuss this with the sender, who got credit when that happened. See How do I contact another member? for instructions on how to contact a sender from the transaction in your Transaction Archive.

If you have not marked the book received yet, do not do so.  You will continue to get the usual auto-emails from PBS asking if the book has arrived; open and read them, and follow any instructions within. 

If the book hasn't arrived by the 26th day after it was marked mailed, then PBS will declare it lost in the Mail and you will get your credit back.  If the book does arrive after that, you should mark it received from your Transaction Archive.  

I called this one in the Media Maul thread:  "Media Maul - What, you were expecting a book with your wrapper?"

I have had that happen when I sent a book out after selling it on ebay. I gave the buyer their money back.