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Topic: Would you post this?

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Subject: Would you post this?
Date Posted: 11/7/2008 3:13 PM ET
Member Since: 7/21/2008
Posts: 29
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I have an ex- library book - its a paperback, and the lamination is ripped off the top half of the cover.  The original cover is fine, along with the rest of the book, but it kind of looks bad at a glance... would you post it?  Would you RWAP if received?

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Date Posted: 11/7/2008 3:52 PM ET
Member Since: 8/9/2007
Posts: 4,058
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Is this an adhesive laminate or just a mylar or vinyl cover?  If so, you might want to very carefully try peeling it up and see if it looks like it will come off without damaging the cover.  If it's an adhesive laminate, sometimes the adhesive becomes no longer sticky after a long period of time, and it will peel right off without doing any damage.  If it's part of the original cover though, leave it alone.  Paperback books actually have a laminate over the printed cardstock surface that makes them shiny and slightly water resistant.  If that's what it is, then it's begun to separate from the paper, and it may come off in some places easily, but it's going to take some to a lot of the image underneath if it's still adhering to the surface anywhere you start peeling it.  As far as postability, I'm not sure.  This isn't specifically addressed, but it might fall under the category of "excessively worn".  From the help docs:

Overall Condition:

  • No damage at all from water or other liquid
  • Not soiled
  • No stains (exception for cookbooks--see below)
  • No mold
  • no highlighting, underlining or writing on text pages (exception for textbooks --see below)

 

Cover:

  • Must both be present (front and back)
    • note that a paperback missing its front cover is  usually an illegal, unsold copy
    • "cover" does not = dust jacket.  Hardcovers do not need to include their dust jackets to be swapped here.
  • Cover not water damaged (there may be no water damage to any part of the book)
  • Cover not torn or chewed/gnawed
    • some used book stores cut out a small part of the cover; if the amount missing is less than 1 inch, this is OKAY
    • a small rip (less than 1 inch) in the cover is OKAY
    • yes, that does say "chewed/gnawed" above.  That means no pet-chewed (or human-chewed) books.
  • A bookplate inside the cover or on the flyleaf is OKAY

 

And this is the conditions prompt you get when you're actually posting books to your PBS shelf:

Please remember our club is based on honesty and integrity about our books. Books swapped at PaperBackSwap must be in good condition. In order to post this book it must meet the conditions below:
  1. My book is not missing its cover.
  2. My book is not an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC).
  3. My book has no water damage of any kind.
  4. My book is not excessively worn, and it is in good condition.

 

Hope this helps:)