I received a request on Christmas Eve for a book and I mailed it out the day after Christmas. The book still wasn't received by Jan 21st so they cancelled it. What happens now? Doesn't media mail sometimes take a long time? Or is it probably lost? This is the first time that one of my books has taken that long to be received. What if it still shows up? I guess I'm just disappointed that they didn't tell me they were cancelling it or aren't waiting a little bit longer.

Any thoughts?

The request was cancelled by the system automatically when it didn't show up after 28 days (i think).  If the book shows up the receiver will be able to mark it received from there transaction archive. 

From the help center:

If your book does not arrive by the 26th day after you marked it mailed, it will be declared lost in the mail at PBS.  This does not mean that the book is actually lost; it may simply be delayed en route.  Also, the requestor may be away from home and unaware if the book has arrived.  If so, he or she can mark it received from his or her Transaction Archive when he or she returns home, and credit will be granted when she or he does that.

A book sent to an active member at PBS will not earn credit until the requestor marks it received, unless PBS Delivery Confirmation is used to send the book.  

If a book you sent is declared Lost in the Mail at PBS:

• As the sender, you should call 800-ASK-USPS or go to https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/forms/MLNtRcvd.aspx (the Postal Inspection Service's website) and input the information online there . This will help USPS try to recover your book if it truly has been lost in the mail.
  • This form at USPS is titled "Mail Theft"
  • This does  not mean only theft of mail.  USPS categorizes any mail that does not arrive or that is tampered with as "mail theft".
  • The choice that should be made under "Class" if Media Mail was used is "Parcel Post"
• You can get the information about the transaction from the Transaction Archive:
  • Click "Transaction Archive" in the menu under My Account in the toolbar at the top of the site
  • Click the Request Details link on the right of the "lost in mail" transaction
  • If you need more information (such as requestor address) you can ask the requestor in a Personal Message for that information.
    • We are unable to provide member address information outside of the duration of an active transaction, due to the PBS Privacy Policy.
    • You can use the button on the transaction to contact the requestor.
• If USPS does return your book to you, and it is undamaged:
  • You should ask the requestor (using the button on the Lost transaction in your Transaction Archive) if she still wants it. 
  • If she does, you can re-send it.  If she does not, you can repost it.
  • If she does not respond to your PM, you should repost the book.

Did you print out a PBS address label for this book, because if you did, they can't cancel the transaction.

The requestor can cancel a request up until the time the wrapper is printed by the sender.

I couldn't find a rule for this, but I don't believe they can cancel the transaction once a book has been marked mailed either, but I could be wrong. 

Stupid question, but are you sure they canceled it and it wasn't marked "lost" by the system?

Here is what it says in my transaction archive:

Mailed From: OH

Mailed To: PA

Request Date: 12/23/07

Date Accepted: 12/24/07

Wrapper Printing: 12/26/07

Date Mailed: 12/26/07

Date Canceled; 1/21/08

Yes, the book was cancelled by the system, because it is assumed lost in the mail.  The requestor did not cancel it.   The information Kristen posted from the help center explains it all. 

Brandy, you would have gotten an email from PBS telling you if the book was declared Lost in the mail.  And it would be in your Transaction Archive with a black ? next to it, meaning its status = lost in the mail.

Ok, I do have the black ? but I cannot find an email. I save all the emails from paperback swap in a folder and I don't have any about it being lost. I happened to notice that the book wasn't on my main page anymore under "books sent" so I started trying to find out what happened.

Oh well, I guess this happens sometimes right?

Thanks for all your help!

Did you try sending a PM to the receiver to ask if they got the book?  It could be they forgot to mark it received when they got it.

If you go to your account screen there should be an area that says "club communications" the email should be there. 

It may be in your bulk/junk mail folder.  About 1 out of every 10 PBS emails I get end up there for some reason.

Read the help docs about a book going lost.  It happens sometimes, especially with media mail.  The book could still show up. The requestor can than mark the book as received through their transaction archive.