OK, so here are the requestor conditions I had written and had accidentally turned on sometime recently:

If it is a hardcover and came with one, I would like to have the dustjacket.  I don't much like ex-library books. I don't want heavy odors of smoke.  Your sniff as a test is fine; if you can't smell it, I'm sure I can't either even if you are a smoker.  I have no allergies. 

I had not even realized I had the conditions box  moved to YES, until I received this reply:  This is a used book. It might not meet your exacting specifications so I won't be giving it to you.

I've turned my R. C. back off but the reply kinda hurt my feelings.  I didn't think my condition were very "EXACTING."   I wrote them up after receiving  a couple of nasty books in a box of books trade and then decided I wasn't going to use RC's.  Figured what the heck--life is too short, I'll just get what I get and not worry about it.

Am I also being too sensitive?  (LIke QueenJ asked earlier)  I usually write a PM to someone who has an RC and make sure if there is any doubt in my mind.  I do know RCs in general make some people mad on general principals, but I've never thought it was a big deal.

I think it might have been the smell check one.  Many people decline anything that asks for a sniff check because smell is just so subjective.  Although other than that I though your RCS were fine.  I'm not a fan of rcs but I don't auto-decline them either.  I do decline sniff check ones.  I have a poor sense of smell.  My husband smokes a cigar in the house once or twice a month.  I can't smell it on anything. But I won't send a book now with an RC for smell. 

The dust jacket and ex-library book wouldn't bother me.  But like I said some people are opposed to any kind of RC. But I personally didn't find yours too exacting. It's not like you asked for a laundry list of things like no dog-earred pages, no yellowing, no spine creases etc....,  There are people who basically ask for a brand new book.

Thanks, Mary.  As I said, I've turned them back off but I do appreciate the info about the sniff test.  I would have never thought about that--someone not having much of a sense of smell.  LOL.  Never occured to me!  When I wrote the blurb, I had gotten a box that was so heavy with smoke odor I'm sure even you would have detected it!  :)

 I appreciate the input.

I don't much like ex-library books.

I'm not sure what this means. Does this mean you want them or not? And if you get one you'll be unhappy?

I'd make a decision on this one, either you'll accept them, in which case you don't need to mention it and they'll get sent, or you don't want them and say so. That way, if I'm sitting there with a library copy in my hand, I'll know right off if you want it or not.

" I don't much like ex-library books"    You don't much like them but do you want them or not?  I didn't find that clear.   The rest looked ok to me.

I don't think you're specific enough on the ex-library books - You say you don't like them, but don't say you won't accept them.  As a lot of my books are ex-libarary (and in very good to excellent condition), I'd turn it down for that.  If it were me I'd either take that off or state I didn't want ex-library books. 

I also might change my RC  regarding heavy smoke smell to something like 'I don't want books from a current smoking home.  Many people don't smoke, but again get used books and the 'sniff' test ' doesn't always work, but usually if they don't smoke, any smoke residue would probably be gone by the time you got the book. 

You might also reword the book jacket RC because I'm sure some people get used books without the jacket so in that case 'it didn't come with one' so would meet your specifications and you'd get a book without a DJ and it would certainly meet the specification as written.

Pat

OK, that's a good point, too.  IF I ever use the RCs again (which is very unlikely) I'll remove that phrase. 

There are a Lot of people out there who don't send books out to people with RCs of any kind.  Saying specifically that you reqiure a dust jacket and don't want ex-libris might be specific enough that it won't bother people, but from what I've seen it looks like it's just better to not have any rcs at all, and if you receive a book that you don't like (but is still acceptable to PBS) just put them back in the system and request a new copy. 

I don't think those are exacting conditions and I would (probably) have no problem sending to you--unless it was an ex-library book or didn't have the dust jacket.

I don't know how much you wanted that book from that member, but I'd be thinking "Whew! so glad I didn't have to deal with THAT book. Hope someone else has one that they don't have to wonder about whether it meets my conditions!"

The thing about not much liking ex-library books is too vague, IMO.  I have former library books in excellent condition.  Not a spot or wrinkle on them, but many have a library stamp at the top or bottom, & many also will have a remainder mark.  As nice as they are, I'd decline this request because I couldn't be sure they'd be satisfactory to you.  The hardcover stipulation is also a little vague.  Does it mean that if my book is a hardcover that I got through PBS without a dustjacket you don't want it?  The odor thing I can live with.  I wouldn't hesitate on that one, but you should understand that these are questions that are going to come to member's minds when they're looking at this RC and trying to decide whether to accept or decline. 

My feedback is this - forget about them   =)   I find your conditions a little vague, especially the ex library book part,  but the response is a little  spiteful (I wont be giving it to you?? ) 

I don't much care for sniff tests either.   I have an excellent sense of smell, but you never know about the person on the other end.  Occasionally I find a book I've purchased new that has that sort of dusty book smell.  It's absolutely not smoky - but I don't know that the requester will get that.

I don't think they would have sent books to anyone with RCs. From that response, I'd count myself lucky that person turned me down and keep my RCs in place. Make your ex-lib book one more clear and put them back up. I'd never feel bad getting turned down by someone with a reply like that. I tend to believe that the people that respond like that are the ones try to pass on the bad books.

I decline a lot of RCs, but unless I had an ex-library book or a hardcover without a dust jacket, I would have sent you the book.  While, perhaps, a little vague, I thought it was nice!  There wasn't anything there that ruffled my feathers -- and most of them do. 

"but the response is a little  spiteful (I wont be giving it to you?? )" 

My thoughts are with everyone else on the RC..tweak it a tad and it should be clear to all.  The whole "I won't be giving it to you"....well....last I looked, I keep getting charged credits when I request a book.  Gimme this persons link so I can get some freebie books;););)  LOL!

I would write:

I cannot accept books that are currently in a smoking environment.

I cannot accept ex-library books.

If the dust-jacket came with a hardcovered book, please include it with my request.

Thank you,

Mamu

I would keep RCs concise. The part about not liking ex-library books is very vague; you are better off deciding one way or the other whether you will accept them. If you request a hard-covered book, turn on your RC. If you're ordering a paperback, turn it off.

I would have declined you request, as it is a little too vague.

But, I would never reply with such a rude comment.

Hi Sharon,

I know it weighs on a good person when someone makes a comment like the one you got.  Try not to let it get to you.  The comment reflects on the person making the comment, not on you.  Try to forget about that person!  I know from personal experience that you are a great swapper, and that person lost out on getting to swap with you.  Their loss!  They suffered the consequences of being rude.

And for the record, I would have sent you my HB book with a DJ and my PB book unless they were former library copies.  I didn't think they were exacting at all.

Sheryl

Thanks to all of you for your feedback.  I truly appreciate your comments and will/ have adjusted my RC and my attitude!   ;)

Sheryl you are such a sweetheart.  Thanks for the kind words.  :-)

That's just a rude response.  A lot of odor related RC's do seem vague about 'musty' smells, but cigarette smoke I understand.  On the other hand, I am of the belief that smokers have very poor sense of smell.   

>I cannot accept books that are currently in a smoking environment.

What prevents you?  Perhaps "I will not accept..."?

Glad you are re-wording your RCs if you use them.  I am another with a poor sense of smell, and am always leery of subjective "sniff test" RCs but have no problem with "currently smoking environment" RCs.   The ex-library condition was vague, so a clarification makes it better (although I am not criticizing - my own RCs have a semi-vague ex-library condition too...)

Sniff tests are too subjective.  DJ?  I can clearly determine if my book does or does not have one.  Ex-Lib?  Again, I can clearly determine that.  Smells?  I can tell heavy smoke smell, but what if it just a little smoke smell?  What if there's no smell but it triggers  their allergies? Who knows?   I just turned down another request because of the no smoke/no smells situation.  Drives me nuts.