I ordered an Audiobook on CDs, and it has arrived today -- quickly and well packaged, but the 8 CDs are loose in individual paper sleeves not in a box. All CDs are there and accounted for, but no cover for the book (May be using the wrong word, the "sleeve"? "case"? "jacket"?). It doesn't matter for me as long as the story is ok, but is this allowed? If it is I should have no problem trading it when I'm done with it, but if it's not I can't trade for it again.

Ok, I'll answer my own question -- I finally found it. In rules:

Audiobooks MUST be the original cassettes/CDs, but do NOT have to include the outer "box" that held the set.

So, guess it's ok. :D

Good detective work!

We sell a lot of audiobooks at the FOL used bookstore where I volunteer and those paperboard boxes do not hold up well at all.  The ones the library has on the shelves come in plastic clamcases so those are much better for storing them, but I don't know if many bookstores sell them that way.  So, yes, I would expect folks who swap audiobooks that have been through several owners may have to trash the box long before the lifespan of the CDs is over.

According to Swap a CD, the clear hard plastic cases are actually horrible to ship in.  The CDs are more likely to break when in the hard cases.  Our library has some more flexible cases, a white plastic that looks more like Tupperware.  Those have a bit more give than the clear hard cases.  The clear cases snap the CDs in the mail.  The paper boxes don't hold up.  

Dollar tree has cd holders.  They look like a wallet, are light weight, and come in cool designs.  I buy a couple just for situations like this.  For me, it is money well spent bc it is cheaper than postage and credits to reimburse a member.  ;-)

the only situation I've come across with books on tape without the original container is if the original container was the only thing that had the isbn on it--I have been told that in that case if the tapes didn't have the isbn on them themselves, that I could post it, but it would have to be as "without an isbn".

If I'm wrong, somebody please correct me!

Melanie, you are correct.  And for anyone considering throwing away the box while the CDs are still playable, I beg you not to.  I always want the box, even when falling apart.  If you don't want to repair it, you can always just fold it flat and slip it into the envelope.

AH!  good point about the ISBN - thanks for suggesting that.  I have a set of cds to post where the plastic case is in laughably bad condition - it's more packing tape than plastic!

But I still have the cardboard sleeve with the ISBN.

I'll be sure to include that to the next person.