It seems like every request I've had lately has an RC.  I just checked the books I've sent and more than half of them had a RC.  Thankfully nothing complicated and nothing that stopped me from sending the book.  Just an interesting observation. 

I have my own RC so I don't think I've ever turned one down.  I did have a couple that I sent PMs - just to cover my backside not because they were that complicated. 

Anyone else notice this?

I am not seeing that, but like everything at PBS, these things seem to go in streaks. I will go a week without seeing a single RC and then four requests in a row will have one. I think I've only had one request with an RC in the past couple of weeks, out of maybe a dozen books sent.

Cheryl

I hardly ever see RCs. The last batch of books I sent out did have one with an RC, but nothing bad and she was nice in the RC so it was no problem accepting.

I myself have been feeling more inclined to use them anymore though. I've been ordering some older used books that I often see as ex-library books in used bookstores, so I've attached that RC to a couple.

I have not noticed more RCs, pretty much just the same as always. (maybe 1 or 2 out of 10, or so). And, I get orders every week.

Amee, my library rotates out their paperbacks even though they aren't more than 2 or 3 years old. I just picked up some ex-library books that are still on the paramornal WL, for example, and I just mailed them out. If you don't like ex-libraries, it might be best to just leave your RC on always.

Oh, I don't mind ex-libraries. Just these particular ones which are mass markets. They're thin books so the ex-libraries I see at UBS (I've only seen ex-libraries at UBS for the book I'm talking about which is why I'm ordering it here) seem loaded down with the stickers and stamps. I just think the trade size paperbacks and hardcovers do better with library markings and stickers and such than the smaller mass markets.

I have many ex-library books that held up very well and don't seem overwhelmed by being ex-library.

It's just a weird thing for me, I guess.

I'm having a banner couple of weeks.  I sent out 14 books and 8 have had an RC.  It just seemed like suddenly everyone had a non-smoking and dush jacket RC.

I have had quite a few in the last few weeks also.  Not any really crazy one though - smoking ones mostly.

Yes, I am seeing a spate of RCs.

I seem to be seeing more.  I've just had four people order five books from my shelf and three of the four people had RCs.  Ironically, it was the person ordering two books who had no RCs.

I have to say that RCs don't bother me. Either my book meets the RC or it doesn't.  No big deal.

Nope, I have been a member for a year and maybe 1% of the members requesting books from me have had an RC. More people want dust jackets now it seems when I ask. YES, when I have a book w/o a dust jacket I PM the requestor before sending the book to make sure they'll accept w/o the DJ cause I don't want a problem later on.  I know I don't have to, I'm just avoiding headaches.

I have mailed out over 20 books in the last few weeks and only had 1 RC in the bunch.

Janice you're lucky, I've mailed out 20 in the last two weeks and only three haven't had a non-smoking RC.  No problem for me with that.  I haven't had a problem filling the requests, it just seemed so unusual to see so many with RCs.

I saw more when I first joined in December, but that may have been because a batch of the books I posted were holds from WLs? Not sure. I see them occasionally but it's seems to have gone down the past couple months. Had a pretty nasty (worded) one couple days ago, I got bored reading all of it and just declined it.

But over all I am seeing less.

I only have declined 2 for being outrageous in their claims (even though my books are 95% personal collection) and 2 or 3 since I have pets. They do sleep on my books!

I am the one that goes on and on on my RC but I have been getting so many books that look like crap, that have pages coming loose while I read them, etc.  I gave away any books that were not in excellent condition when I joined this club because the rules said "Good Condition."  When I read a new book, it still looks new, no creases in the spine, no bends on the pages etc.  I have on several occaisions complained to members without filing a complaint and they either get really nasty or ignore me.  I had one lady tell me that the books were readable and in fair condition (like that was good enough) even though my  RC asked for books in "Good Condition" only.  I got one book that was so sticky and felt so gross to hold, I could not stand to hold it and there was either cat hair or some type of fuzzy blanket hair all over it from the sticky.  When I pm'd her she said that the last member used press seal wrap and that was why, she took good care of stuff.  She did not apologize or anything, just acted like that explanation was good enough.  When I pressed the issue that I was unhappy, she got so ugly that even though she gave me back a credit, it ruined my day.  I get stricter and stricter on my RC, it gets longer and longer and I still get crap.  It is the worst when I try to order multiple books to save the person shipping, they totally ignore the RC if some are not in good condition.  Lately I have gotten books not wrapped well so they are damaged in the mail - I had to add, please wrap and tape well to my RC.  Am I the only one having these problems?  I have checked into a Kindle book reader and other book clubs lately just becasuse I am so frustrated.  Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Darlene - I would just keep your RC short and sweet.  Some members complain about RC's that just re-state the existing club rules, but I don't have a problem with them.  I would most likely condense your RC down to something like this:

Please make sure to wrap book well, and please make sure the book is in a condition that you would want to recieve yourself.  Thanks!

YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary), of course, but I think that gets your point across without raising a fuss.

Don't forget, that by reporting books RWAP, you're helping to weed out members that are not living up to the  club standards.

When I read a new book, it still looks new, no creases in the spine, no bends on the pages etc. 

I have on several occaisions complained to members without filing a complaint

Darlene - PBS requires that books meet guidelines, but if you want books that still look new - your RC needs to specify that, not "good." 

You want books in "good condition"?  What is that?  Is it so that it still looks new, no creases in the spine, no bends on the pages etc?  OR is it my idea of good condition, which is a book that meets PBS standards?  Subjective conditions will get a read from me but I send books to those with RC's that are clear, concise and isn't more than a few lines long.  Just as the members are allowed to have any RC they want, so do the members have a right to say NO, I am not even going to try to meet that RC.