Someone mentioned in another thread that they had an RC asking that people send books wrapped in plastic.  This is something I've been thinking of doing, as I've had a few perfectly acceptaple, decently wrapped books ruined by rain. 

I would be interested to hear how people would respond to a waterproofing RC.  I hate the idea of asking people to use plastic, but I'm sort of at my wit's end.

I always wrap in plastic anyway, so an RC to that effect would not bother me at all!

Wouldn't be a problem for me, especially since I wrap all books in plastic before sending them, but you will get turned down sometimes by people who just don't want to deal with it.

You might have seen my post.  I can say no one has turned me down for the plastic/waterproofing request.  Now smoking is another story.

Just today I received three books and I have a rural mailbox.  Some days it stays closed other days, usually when it's raining like today it stays open.  The packages were wet even though I got out there shortly after the mail truck went by.  So each person who sent me a book got a hearty tahnk you for the plastic wrapping today.

Geri

Sorry, clicked the wrong button!

I always use plastic.   I would be A-OK with it.   

As I posted in that other thread, a question still arises...

I now use poly bubble mailers to send out all my books.  These, by and of themselves are waterproof, but would you still require the book itself to be wrapped in plastic?  I seriously doubt that you'd RWAP for a book that arrived in one of those, but without the extra plastic wrap, but I wanted to ask anyway.

I always accept them. (I wrap all books in plastic anyway).

Geri - it was your post.  Thanks for the feedback!

I'm in the opposite position. I'm in a city and my mail carrier walks around the neighborhood with a little cart.  Although my mailbox is inside my building's foyer, if it's raining out, my mail gets soaked while the carrier is making his/her rounds.

ETA - Bernard - I would be fine with a bubble mailer. 

I wrap in bubble mailers, but when they ask for plastic in the RCs, I always add another layer.  Not sure if it's necessry, but better safe.  Pat

I've had an RC asking for a waterproof layer for a couple months and have yet to have anyone turn me down because of it.  A few books have come without plastic, but none of them were water damaged, so I let it go.  I'd be fine with a bubble mailer as long as it was sealed. 

I live in an apartment so I don't have any control over my mailbox and the little door doesn't shut all the way.  There are still plenty of cracks for water to get in if it is raining.

Okay, this is simply too funny...

I was expecting a book today, so I just went out to the mailbox and, there it was.  In a poly mailer.  And inside the mailer, the book was shrink wrapped in plastic.  LOL  I guess I got my answer.

(A long time ago I read a passage from Conversations With God that, to summerize, stated there are no such things as "coincidences".  Every event has a purpose, and what may seem like a coincidence really isn't.  I took that passage to heart because my life has been literally filled with all kinds of wild, unimaginable coincidences - pure "billion-to-one" shots that defy all odds, so I examine each one carefully to see what lesson I am being given in each.  This was just one more in a long string of answers I've gotten.)

Oh, and just to clarify, I stopped using the regular bubble mailers (paper with a bubble liner inside) and switched to the pure plastic ones that are super difficult to tear, completely waterproof, and also have the bubble lining.

Why?

I got a good price on them in bulk quantities, actually a few cents cheaper per mailer than what I had been paying for the others in bulk.

Depends on how it was worded. I am not going to pm about clarification of an RC, so if the RC was stated as "some type of waterproofing" I would accept. If it stated specifically "wrapped in plastic" I would decline. I use the poly mailers but don't wrap the book in plastic before putting into the mailer.

Cheryl

I'd be ok with it.  I either wrap books in plastic, then wallpaper or use poly mailers or bubble envelopes.  For large orders, I use plastic and a box.

Wouldn't have a problem, always wrap in plastic or bubblemailer (recycled)...   Usually accept RC's that are worded nicely, if I meet the conditions.  If they send up red flags, I don't accept. 

I'd accept because I wrap all my books in plastic anyway. I did see one really nicely worded RC that mentioned that even just taping a plastic grocery bag around the book would be enough. Maybe someone else will know the exact wording...because it was definitely better than what I just typed, but I think that's a pretty small thing to ask assuming that most people have plastic bags around their house.

I put one on during the winter and have never had a problem with it. I get very few turn downs on my RCs and its usually the smoking one. In mine I do ask for "some type of weather-proof wrapping" with some examples so I give the sender free reign on how they want to do it.

 Not an issue, I ship with poly mailers, they are not bubble mailers though and after reading all this I am wondering if they should be....

Ditto, since I always wrap in plastic first.

I would be fine with poly bags/mailers.  I have the same problem as Geri.  Rural mailbox that doesn't get closed up after delivery.  Big problems during snow and thuderstorms!

OTOH - even though I do use poly mailers, I also wrap in plastic before putting the book in.  Most of my mailers aren't padded, so it is conceiveable that a small tear or something could occur.  Also it makes it easier to put the book in the mailer without hurting the covers or pages.  I also make sure I tape the closing ends of the mailer because water can get in where it isn't glued down.  But then I'm a control freak!

Ruth

I have an RC asking for plastic wrapping.  Mine is worded as a request that they please do it but it's not REQUIRED, meaning I'm not going to RWAP if it's not in plastic (so long as the books aren't damaged obviously).  I've yet to be turned down for that.  In that time I've gotten about a dozen books and only one didn't have plastic... but that wrapping job is a whole other can of worms. 

I always wrap in plastic so an RC of such is not at all an issue. 

i have not added a "water proofing" rc but i fear it is time

my mailman seems to like to carry my mail tucked way up under his arm.... in his armpit..... well, it is like 90+ degrees with 90%+ humidity.....

ew

so- out of fear it is time for me to add my rc

but no worried from me! i always wrap in plastic... i wish this was a club rule

As a new member I didn't use plastic for quite awhile and was somewhat conflicted upon receiving my first 'waterproof' RC.  But it was nicely worded (conditions beyond my control...uncooperative climate...mail carrier/box issues), so I accepted.  I've since received several wet packages that would have been ruined without plastic underwrap, and one memorable package had been so wet I've no idea how postal employees read the address for delivery (blurry & not legible).  I'm also more active on PBS forums, and  have a better understanding of the challenges experienced by my fellow members.  I now wish PBS would require plastic underwrap.  Wrappers don't need to be totally submursable to protect books from 99.95% of wet weather.

So no, I would not be upset by an RC requesting waterproofing, as long it's politely worded.

When re-using poly (water resistant) mailers without the bubble feature, I usually wrap the book in paper and tape firmly.  Not the ends, just around the middle.  This supports the spine against Media Maul.