Here's what happened.  I wanted to post a WL book to someone specific, and had already put my account on vacation hold since I'm leaving for vacation this weekend and didn't want to get any more book orders before then.  So I went to her WL and posted the book, then noticed that it still had the ? on my bookshelf an hour later, which meant it was still pending.  I realized that the vacation hold might be holding things up, so removed the vacation hold.  When the order came through, it was NOT for the person I had posted directly to.  I had to cancel that order and repost it to the person I had promised the book to.  I read the HC on vacation holds, and all it says about posting books to your bookshelf when it's on hold is that those books will be hidden from requests.  It doesn't say anything about how it would affect posting directly to someone's shelf OR about what happens when you remove the hold.

I don't get it- why would the request go to FIFO and not the person to whom I posted the book?  The issue is resolved now, but I am still a bit puzzled as to why it works this way.  Live and learn, I guess, I just wish there was something in the HC that indicates that if you post books while your account is on hold, it will go to FIFO no matter who you are trying to post it to.

It means that the book you posted to your friend timed out. She/he did not accept within 48 hours, so it rolled over. Or, they did not have any credits to be able to accept it. So, when it timed out, it went to the next person on the list. I don't think who you post to has any linking to vacation hold. Meaning, going on hold doesn't remove your posting to a buddy and put it into the FIFO. It just meant your friend missed the book.

If you post to a friend while your account is on hold, it goes to your shelf instead of being posted. Then when you took your account off hold, then it was posted to the FIFO instead of your buddy. I've done this before. It's annoying. But you have to remove your hold, post to your friend, and then put your account back on hold if you don't want it to go to FIFO.

To be more clear: If you post a book while your account is on hold, even if it's a WL book, it will go to your shelf and not be offered to anyone. So your book was not offered to anyone until you took your account off hold. Then it automatically was sent to FIFO as a new transaction. It's like the posting to your buddy never occurred.

I've learned that before I automtically post a WLd book to a 'buddy/friend', I always send them a PM asking if they're still interested in the book.  That way they know the book is available to them, and if they don't want it I can then either hold it for a while or send it through the WL FIFO.  Pat

Thanks Jane, I guess that makes sense, but it is not something that is obvious until it happens to you.  Heather, it didn't time out- this was an hour after I had posted the book.  The request just never made it to the person I was posting it to, due to what Jane described above.  I get it now, but didn't before all this happened, which I guess is my point- this is not explained in the HC anywhere.

That happens if you are on vacation hold-I also learned this the hard way.

Also if you are vacation hold and not #1 for a book-a buddy can't post it direct to you even if it's on autorequest. I learned that one recently when someone wanted to post books directly to me but I wasn't #1. I was on hold and put them on autorequest.  It would not let her post them right to me for any but the ones I was #1 for while on hold.

Thanks for the useful information Jane & Mary :-)