When I go to my bookshelf, I can see the books that are on hold........do other people see those when they go to someones shelf?  Or is that just for the owner of the shelf?  huh........

I don't think so. I looked at your shelf real quick but I didn't see any that said hold.

No, you cannot see the books on hold on someone else's shelf.  They are pending a request, so they are not visible.  If the request falls through, they come off hold and then they are visible again to others.

You mean the Bookshelf hold, not the WL hold right? No one can see your hold books, only your posted books. Those books d onot actually get posted until you take the hold off of them.