I received this book last month but I have been hesitant to repost it. A child scribbled on it and it indented the page (even though it didn't write on it) and its thin in the area and could rip easily. What do you think? It is a wishlist book so I could always offer it as damaged just curious what you guys think.

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I think its postable. It doesn't break any rules that I can see.

I personally wouldn't be pleased to receive that book, although I would probably not mark it as RWAP. Scribbling in books doesn't seem to be too common, so most people who utilize the RC's aren't going to think to include that as one of the stipulations to "not send". The same with the indentations in the page. I've never once received a book like that, and I would not like to.

If you do decide to post it, I'd urge you to PM the person first before sending it and let them know about the scribble and the indentation. Since you already have pictures of it, maybe include them in the PM.

Every time I have had a book that falls into what I believe is a gray area, I will always PM the person first. I have only once had the person tell me they did not want the book. Chances are pretty high you will find someone who does.

Jennifer I really HATE getting books with scribbles. I've only been a member a few months and I've received about 4. I even went as far as to look and see if they came from the same person. I hate it. I guess maybe because my kids are older?? I don't know. I know accidents happen and its perfectly readable but I don't understand why a stain even if not covering text is unpostable but... scribble marks are postable. I've received a few books lately with stains as well that are small enough you don't even notice until you start reading it.

I think I will offer it in the parnormal w/l books in the forum with photos like you said. I think it probably is postable but it annoyed me so I don't want to annoy someone else! Heck I need my credits I don't want to mail it out only to not receive a credit. I noticed the markings on the back inside cover when I accepted it but not on the page.

And Sara thanks for posting I think it probably is ok per guidelines but it could rip so easily where the indintations are and I'm just going to offer it stating it has damage in the forum.

I just took a look at the rules. I heard that if scribble marks were on a page without text they were ok. The rules don't say that!

Highlighting and writing in books (apart from a name or note on the flyleaf) and staining are not acceptable for any book that is not a textbook or workbook or cookbook.

So now I'm a little ticked at myself I should of never accepted the ones I've received like that lately.

I've only gotten one or two books with scribbles in it. One I did mark RWAP because there were also boogers and faint pencil marks throughout the book. The boogers grossed me out completely. The other book or two that I got with writing and/or scribbles in it were on non-text pages, so they were postable. It has made me consider requesting only books with no writing or drawing of any kind on any of the pages including blank ones, but I haven't done that because I feel like I have too many other conditions already.

The majority of my RWAPs have been due to binding and stains, so I cover both of those points in my RCs.

What what?! Did they recently change that? I don't remember that part at all, and I frequently look back to the Help Docs.

Actually, the rules do allow for writing/scribbling on non text pages per the Help Docs:

No writing or highlighting or underlining on text pages

• a signature or note on the flyleaf or inside front or back cover is OKAY
• an author's signature on the title page is OKAY
• writing or highlighting or underlining on the text pages is NOT OKAY
  • Exception: if it is a textbook or workbook, these are expected to have highlighting/underlining/writing

So as long as there is no text (I interpret this to mean non-story pages with text on it too) on the pages at all, and they are blank, those pages can have writing on them or scribbling.

What the heck I just copied that in the help documents.. going back to looks

Sorry this confused me! I

• If a requestor wants a book in "better-than-PBS-requires" condition (she wants dust jackets with her hardbacks, or does not want Ex-library books, for example):
  • It is the REQUESTOR's responsibility to specify her "extra" conditions for books she will receive in her Requestor Conditions.
  • If there are no Requestor Conditions on a request, and your book meets PBS guidelines for good condition, you can send the book.
    • The exception to this is for Textbooks/Workbooks, which may contain highlighting or writing in the book; and cookbooks, which may have some writing and/or staining
    • Highlighting and writing in books (apart from a name or note on the flyleaf) and staining are not acceptable for any book that is not a textbook or workbook or cookbook.
    • If you Post a textbook or workbook with highlighting/writing inside, or a cookbook with writing or staining, you MUST communicate with the requestor by PM describing the book's condition, and you must receive a reply PM accepting the condition of the book as described, before sending the book.

Ok. Makes sense now! I was thinking I was losing it.

Yes, scribbles on non-text pages are a gray area, but for me, I believe that all of the rules of postability are to prevent gross books (dirt, stains, water damage, mold) or unreadable books (missing pages, writing obscuring text, highlighting, etc) or falling apart books (spine broken, large rips, pages missing).

If a book is not gross, or falling apart, or rendered unreadable, then I'm in favor of posting!

The reason why even the smallest stain on a page is unpostable is because stains are of mysterious origin ... and if they are food or liquid of any type they may attract bugs, no matter how small.

Pen is not of mysterious origin and does not attract bugs.

That;s why writing on non-text pages does not make a book unpostable, but even the smallest stain does.

Sara- I dont think it is bugs that the stain rule is for. But books that have had food/water on them have a very high chance of getting moldy at some stage when put in the right situations.

Could be. I don't really believe in the "book gets wet slightly = will grow mold" school of thought. After all, paper is made from pulp, which is wet and then dries out. The book needs to be both wet and exposed to mold in order for it to ever grow any mold, no matter how wet it gets. A book that is thoroughly dried out in a mold-free environment after it gets wet is in no more danger of growing mold than any other book.

Although in some parts of the country, I suppose there are more mold spores in the air, therefore wet=moldy is probably true in very humid areas.

I realize that the PBS rule is because nobody can tell whether or not a particular water-damaged book is likely to grow mold, so they ban them all.

I'm in the desert, though, and if I were to stick books in my garage, they would never become moldy, but would have a high chance of being eaten by bugs or mice if there was even a hint of food in them (and honestly, (mice will chew on books even if there isn't food))

Sara, you are the very first person who has stated what I knew to be true about books that might have had some water damage.   I never say anything about them not growing mold, since they are unpostable regardless.   I am just happy that not everyone is on the "oh my gosh, a wet book always grows mold" bandwagon.

I think the book above is completely postable.  I would not ever PM about a book that was postable.  It just sets up an expectation in the receiver about being PMed about every little thing.  NOT a popular opinion but that's mine.

I'm one of the ones who does not share Cozette's opinion about never PM'g about a postable book.  She has a right to her opinion, as I have a right to mine, and I'm of the opposite school of thought.  I think PMs between members foster communication and lessen the chance of an unhappy transaction occurring.  I often send PMs about potential problems (such as missing dustjacket -- I know  it's postable, but some people would be unpleasantly surprised to not receive one)  and I encourage PMs to me, even put my contact info in my RCs in case anyone has questions before they accept/decline my order. 

I have a similar question - I have a copy of a wishlisted book, and I just noticed today that on the VERY first page, which is just "What others are saying about [the book]" (a list of quotes from reviews) someone wrote "Friends of the Floral Park Library Book" up top. It's technically a text page, but it's not really part of the book I think people would mind text on.

Postable? Not postable?

Rebecca P. - IMHO that would be postable as there can be writing/inscriptions on the title page. Also, as I understand things,  library markings and stamps are allowed as long as they don't obscure text.

Rebecca, yes its postable.

Thanks guys! I figured as much, but I thought I'd ask :)