I am having a lot of trouble with RC's. I do understand the basic ones due to allergies like no smoking and no pets. But I usually have to turn them down, since I get most of my books used and I have no way of knowing what they have been around.

Recently the RC's I have received have been far more elaborate. The last one I got specified no library books, no hardbacks without their dust jackets, no books with any marking or stamps, no yellowing pages, and, if the book is an older one, the requestor would accept only a recent reprint. I wish I had copied the RC, because there was more, I just can't remember it all. But, I would not feel comfortable sending anything except a new, unread book for these conditions.

So, is there any way I can tell if a used book would meet the conditions for an allergy sufferer? And is there any limit to what conditions a person can put on their requests?

I do not swap books that are badly beaten up. I try to keep all my books in good condition. But I am swapping used books and none of them are pristine.

Am I over-reacting? What do you other members do? I would really like to know.

Decline. Just write "sorry" in the box and move on. Don't editorialize about their conditions and why you're not willing to send a book.

Yup, just decline.

Cheryl

Ditto.

Yes, to answer your question...I think you are over reacting...If you can fulfill the request do so, If Not then just decline.

The only thing I would add is don't try to read too much into the RC. Take it at face value.

If they say something like "No books from a currently smoking home" don't decline just because your book is used and you don't know the history. (unless you think it stinks like smoke).

You don't have to analyze a used book to see if it meets the needs of allergy sufferers. Their RC is either clear enough so that you know already, or it is not, in which case, you decline.

People can evaluate their own level of allergy and make the RC accordingly. If their allergies are mild, they probably say something like "No books from currently smoking home" or "No books currently in a cat household". If their allergies are severe, they may have an RC that says "No books that smell like smoke" or "No books that have ever been around cats". You may or may not decline the second set, depending on whether or not you know the history of the book or whether or not you think you can smell smoke well. Up to you.

The only other thing I can add, is that if you find someone's RCs to be confusing, you may consider explaining why they are confusing in your response. That way, the other member has an opportunity to re-word their RCs to make them less confusing, if they are inclined to. Or, at least to understand which part is confusing.

I just decline the ones that are really long with a laundry list of conditions. They are probably used to it by now and will remove them if they get tired of gettign turned down.  I don't accept the ones that ask for basically a brand new book, are really long and loaded with requests, are really vague or ask for a PM.  I just don't want the credit badly enough.

I accept:

• the No DJ ones provided my book has a dj
• the ones that say currently in a no-smoking home-we don't smoke.
• no ex-library or Bookcrossing provided my book is not exlibrary or bookcrossing
• no cats-don't have a cat
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