I had a BOB wrapped up and ready to go.  Luckily, I checked my email before I left and found that the other member realized they didn't meat my requests.  When I tried to open it to put the books away... boy did I have trouble.  All I used was a Tyvek envelope and clear packing tape.  I was glad to see it stood up well!

I think it can be a fine line between making sure a book is packed super-securely and making the package almost impossible to open!  I'm sort of "known" for packing the heck out of my books :)  The one thing I do try to guard against is that if the receiver has to use a knife to open the package (such as slitting the end of the package open) he or she won't be stabbing the book.  Sometimes I might even put a warning on the book package to that effect... to open it carefully.  I think that once a person has received a book that has suffered because it was mailed improprerly, it is tempting to get neurotic about mailing books securely! :)

I just realized you didn't ask for advice!  Oh well --

I have been struggling with that clear tape we are all using.  It is so hard to cut, and when someone uses it all around the package, I have concerns about damaging the book trying to get it out of the wrapper.  I try to leave a little space at a corner so you can get a finger in and tear the wrapping, but I don't always succeed.  Has anyone figured out a good way to wrp the book safely to prevent the post office from damaging it, but lets the requestor open the book without out breaking knives and tearing the book?

<<Has anyone figured out a good way to wrp the book safely to prevent the post office from damaging it, but lets the requestor open the book without out breaking knives and tearing the book?>>

I have a tiny boxcutter-type knife that I keep on my desk for opening books (here's a similar one on Amazon, or I've seen them at the checkout at my hardware store: http://www.amazon.com/STANLEY-TOOLS-10-150-Quick-Utility/dp/B00009V42S/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1220494624&sr=8-14 )

The knife is small, about the size of a pen, and I slit through the wrappings at the top of the book, parallel to the pages.  The tiny razor blade slides between the pages if needed, rather than cutting them.  Works well for me on a variety of wrapping types.

ETA: This is not a knife with a big old exposed blade.  It is a tiny pen thing where you can advance or retract a corner of a tiny razor-type blade to cut through packaging.  I always have a cat or 2 trying to "help" me open books, so I don't mess with big, sharp stuff -- just enough to cut through tape without cutting off anyone's whiskers :-)

Cheers,

Catt

What some people don't seem to notice, is that not everyone feels comfortable handling a knife or have another sharp object to get into their book. I always use my nails to pick at a corner of the tape to try to get it off.

For wrapping, lately, I have been using the brown wrap. I tape the label on all 4 sides (and across the address) over the 'seam' down the middle,  2 pieces in the middle of each end (over scotch tape that I use temporarily), then I cut small strips of tape for all 4 corners. Not had a problem with anything going missing.

Bwa-ha-ha, I've received a couple of books I'd have liked to see if the sender could re-open!!  ;)-  One was wrapped so tightly and thickly I think the sender must have been worried about another "postal" shooting spree--that book could have been used as body armor LOL!  I did manage to finally get it open without damaging the book, but I did suggest the sender ease up a bit it's just a book LOL!!