I'm pretty new and have recieved 4 books so far.  The first 2 were in bubble envelopes but today I got 2 more just in the paper wrapper, no plastic wrap, no protection from water at all.  They were wrapped well, but just no waterproof barrier.  Is it common for you all to get books with no plastic wrap on the books?   I'm thinking of adding a RC that the books please have some layer of plastic to protect them.  We can get a lot of rain in summer and do get tons of snow in winter.  I really don't want to get books that end up with water damage and then I cannot repost them.  Just wondering if this is common or it just that these both happened to come the same day. 

Thanks!

At least half of the books I get have no plastic wrap.  I have only had one become unpostable because it got wet through only a paper wrapper.  If you know you get a lot of rain or this is going to be a problem definitely add an RC.

There are a few recent posts about wrapping, mummifying,etc. 

PBS doesn't require any plastic waterproofing.   But, many members (including myself) add some version of plastic protection.  Some folks mummify with Tape.  I am not good with tape so, that version of wrapping is beyond my talents.

I believe PBS suggests a layer of plastic as optional.  So, if you want it everytime, you can suggest it in your RC's.

Thanks.  I guess I've been wrapping mine in paper towel to protect the cover, then plastic wrap, then the paper wrapper. 

We love knew members that are so conscientious in their wrapping!

I usually add a plastic wrap RC during the winter. I've never had anyone turn it down or get snotty about it. The key is to pe polite and make it sound like a request not a demand.  This is mine "Its winter in North Dakota again! Please have some type of waterproofing on the book. A thin layer of saran wrap, wax paper, bubble wrapper, recycled grocery bag, extra layers of tape, anything that will help keep the moisture from seeping into the book would  be greatly appreciated."

This is an RC suggested by another member:

Though this is not a requestor condition or requirement for sending, I politely urge you to please consider a waterproof layer when sending books to me as protection from the elements. It can be simple and recycled, such as a plastic newspaper or grocery bag and does not add much weight.

Welcome, Jaimie!

I'm relatively new myself. I would say that about half the books came with just the PBS paper wrapper. Others came with plastic wrapping underneath. Others came in manila envelopes that are taped taut to the book.

Here are links to other related threads: one inClub Members' Thoughts, another in Questions about PBS.

I personally think the two successful ingredients to good wrapping are (1) a waterproofing layer (2) snugness (so that the book does not move inside its wrapper, envelope, box, whatever, or have any loose corners to get snagged on postal machinery)

To tell the truth, I don't even really notice if they have plastic or not. We get a fair amount of rain here. In April it rained maybe 15 days out of the month.  My mailbox is huge and does not leak, so I don't really notice if the books I receive have been weather-proofed at all. If I had to guess I'd say more books arrive without plastic.

Thanks for the RC samples.  I wanted to word it as a request and not a demand, those helped. 

Melanie, Where are you in ND?  I live here too, south of Rugby.  :D

I just received a book that I am so thankful the sender wrapped in plastic first.  We've had so much rain this week that the inside of my rural mailbox is wet.  This member not only wrapped the book in plastic but also used a good amount of tape so that the book was well protected.  I wrote her to thank her for the great wrapping job she did.  I may have to go to the RC's if this rain keeps up.

Ruth

Melanie, Where are you in ND?  I live here too, south of Rugby.  :D

Small world! I am in the Fargo area. I think just mentioning ND will make people think snow and they'll add plastic :) I've had good luck and only had one weather damaged box of books in my time here. My mailbox protects them well, but one box was too big and left on my front steps on a rainy day.

I'd say you definately need an RC.  Perhaps it is because I've always been a city dweller, but I've never had any mail arrive wet or water damaged.  Therefore, it wouldn't even dawn on me that it could be a problem.  Granted, it SEEMS like common sense, but it never occurred to me to think about it.  Since I'm the curious type and read the forums, I now know that it is not at all uncommon, so I've made a plastic layer part of my routine.  A polite RC should make all the difference if the sender were someone blissfullly ignorant of the water problems like I was.

(and, generally I don't like RCs they make me uneasy - but a RC waterproof layer request wouldn't even make me blink).

I add a layer of plastic all year round. You just never know. Even during dry seasons someone could have watered their lawn. The postal worker could drop the book. Someone could be drinking while sorting and spill something. They aren't supposed to do that but they do. As the shipper I feel it is my responsibility to ensure the package arrives in good condition. I certainly can't prevent all mishaps. I'll have to post the comments by a postal employee made on another trading site. Oh boy! If I can foresee and prevent an issue then I think it is my responsibility to do so. Putting a book in a plastic bag takes no effort, barely adds weight, and it just seems the right thing to do.

Edited for typos.

Here is the comment I referred to in my previous post. I had to edit. You will see where and why. I have also enclosed a link to the thread this comment came from. There are more little stories of how postal employees treat our mail. Have a look. This is why I package everything so it can take almost anything.

"I ALWAYS f*** up fragile mail. The more specific you are as to how fragile it is, the harder I'm going to throw it. Anytime you write instructions on your package, we see it as you're telling us what to do, hence, your mail gets f****** up. When it says do not bend, guess what I do; I bends that s***. If you word it nicely, I'll be nice about it. If you write, "'Please' do not bend", I'll leave it alone."

http://gametz.com/forum/General/topic/329293.html#new

Doesn't that just make you very mad?

Wow, talk about disrespect.  People probably wouldn't have to leave instructions on mail if not for workers like that.  :( 

I live out in the country so have a mailbox and if the package doesn't fit in it's left either on top of or on the ground below my box.  It's also getting hauled in a car from the post office to my rural mailbox and who knows what the carrier may spill on it while driving. 

I receive a lot without protection and have received no damaged books because of it so far. I don't always wrap in plastic. I consider the season and the general weather to where I'm sending and decide. I definitely recommend RCs. I would never turn down a plastic wrap RC, but if someone doesn't have it then I may or may not. Although there was one I saw in a thread on here last week that I would have turned down, but the ones I've seen in this thread I would accept. :)

Just a note about plastic wrap - it doesn't just protect from water/weather - I've had a couple of books manage to slide through the USPS machinery without serious damage because they had the plastic on it.  Don't know exactly how that happened, but the book's wrapper was torn open and it was obvious there was something unforgiving doing the damage because there was a "dent" in the cover.  But it didn't tear and the plastic stayed intact.  So the book "slid" through.  I was very glad to see that when they arrived.

Ruth

I hate to say it, but I'd probably turn down any request that included an RC for wrapping. 

First, it's my personal belief that RC's can only apply to book condition (hence having to click that "My book meets these conditions" and with the noted exception regarding the mandatory APO/FPO RC specified in the site rules).  You don't have to agree with me on this, that's okay.  It's just a personal belief not binding on anyone but me, and trying to convince me otherwise through a long debate over it isn't gonna work, so let's not. 

Second, I'm not in the habit of wasting my time and money sending out packages that would be prone to damage in transit, nor do I want someone getting one of my books to be disappointed with it when it arrives.  Accordingly, I wrap my books so they have a better than average chance of making the trip unscathed, despite the trials and tribulations of "Media Maul" and Mother Nature. 

But do I want the hassle of dealing with a RWAP because I didn't wrap it exactly the way someone might specify in an RC?  No, I don't.  The book could, and probably would, arrive in pristine condition, ready to be reposted if that's what the receiver wanted, but if I didn't wrap exactly the way they wanted they could still RWAP it as not meeting their RC.

Yes, I know 99% of you are sitting there right now shaking your heads and saying, "I'd never do that!"  And I know that is perfectly true.  But I also know there are members here who would RWAP for something like that.  I don't know why they are like that.  Power trip?  Control freak?  OCD?  Just plain mean spirited?  Who knows?

The bottom line though is that I just don't feel like dealing with those people, so I'd probably turn the request down by truthfully syaing that my book does not meet the conditions (because my books aren't stored pre-wrapped, and aren't going to get wrapped at all until after I accept, so they really do not meet the conditions when I'm asked if they do).

I too, wrap in plastic first, and mummify (but leave an open area for scissors). After receiving several packages mauled by the machines (my fav, postal worker tried to fix the package by taping the pieces of packaging to the book, interesting looking package, received a sorry notice from the PO), I tend to overwrap. Better safe, than sorry:)

I live in a large urban area with protected mailboxes (inside a foyer) and I still got some rain-damaged books in the last few months.  I really appreciate when people use plastic.  Most of the time the packages are dry, but when you get a soaked package, you are very happy to see that plastic inside and know the book is saved.

Marilyn sez:

<<This is an RC suggested by another member:

Though this is not a requestor condition or requirement for sending, I politely urge you to please consider a waterproof layer when sending books to me as protection from the elements. It can be simple and recycled, such as a plastic newspaper or grocery bag and does not add much weight.>>

Those are my original RCs, (with the addition of a line about Kansas and Wizard of Oz weather) and I've been using them for over a year now; nobody has declined a request based on it or gotten snarky, but not everyone has used a plastic wrapper either.

Some of us still have mail slots and carriers with sweaty hands that walk the mail route, so our mail is subject to weather, sweat and all sorts of things.  Plastic lining makes a big difference, for me, and I am thankful to those who take the time to do so.

Cheers,

Catt

I have a very nicely worded request for plastic wrapping. 99% of the books I receive are wrapped with plastic on them. I would rather have a request declined than a ruined book.

Cat - I tend to think RC's are overused, but yours is so nicely worded and clear that I'd do the extra bit for you.  My pet peeve are the ones who start with the "I will NOT accept..." or the ones specifying only new or like-new books. No thanks. But you've found a nice way to deal with it.

Jo sez:

<<My pet peeve are the ones who start with the "I will NOT accept...">>

I agree that those aren't the most friendly sounding RCs, but part of the problem is that the site uses that format as an example, so folks follow it.  Sure, they're trying to be clear, but I wish they'd give examples that are both clear and reader-friendly.

Since you're so receptive to my RCs, I'm off to check out your shelf :-)

Cheers,

Catt

I trade a lot of books (all for personal use) and have received 480+ books via PBS. I'd estimate that about 1 in 15 is wrapped in plastic. Some are in bags like what newspaper is bundled in on wet days. Others are wrapped very tightly in plastic. But many just have a very loose wrapping of Saran wrap that wouldn't keep much out.

I'm not one who requests plastic wrap, so it doesn't much matter to me - just reporting on what I've received.