I received a request for a hardcover book that was on my shelf.  The member has the following RC:

For hardcover books, please only in new condition because they are for my children's collection.  I appreciate it.

I bought this book new when it came out 14 years ago, and it's still in good condition, but I am not sure it can be called "in new condition".  I'm also a bit confused by the above RC because the book is not a children's book.  I don't know whether that RC refers to all HC books because the member is giving them to his/her children (adult or otherwise), or if it's meant to be more specifically more children's books.   I am considering whether to accept the request and then PM the member, asking for clarification, or just deny it because of subjectivity re: "only in new condition" and also not knowing if it's meant to be for all HC books or just children's books.   

Thoughts?

Hmmm...well, I have to say I would probably pass.  If you accept it and pm then you get into the who's going to cancel it game.  If you cancel you lose your place in the FIFO.  I would be confused also.

Sara

Pass!

Yep, pass.

If you do choose to decline, be sure to be polite and explain your confusion over the wording. Maybe it will help the person to edit the RC's to be more clear.

Personally in this case, if my copy were once-read and left on the shelf since then, I'd accept and PM with a deadline to respond. If it was on my shelf via FIFO, I'd ask her to cancel if she doesn't want it. If it is WL, ask her to PM me and I'd cancel it.

It just seems to me that if my book were in "like new" condition given its age, I might give the benefit of the doubt. It's not like the RC is rude, it just doesn't quite seem to apply for the book being requested.

The other problem with the "for my children's collection" is that it doesn't necessarily have to be a "children's book" -- it could be for a kid that's older, like a teenager?  So the fact that it's not a Golden Book or obviously a book for small children doesn't really help you narrow this down. 

I think I'd probably go ahead and accept if the book was once read, and then PM her about it.  Then, it would just be up to me to cancel it if I didn't hear from her, but, personally, I would at least give it a try in this case. 

I'd pass.  You don't know how old her children are - they may be adults that she is collecting books for.

Personally, I take RC's literally.  We're all adults and presumably capable of writing exactly what we mean.  If she says she wants only new condition hardbacks, then we can presume she wants new condition and nothing else.

I tend to agree with Becki on this.  Also, the RC doesn't even say "in like new" condition, but "in new condition."  I'm not sure anything is in "new condition" once it has been read.  Even if it is in fabulous condition, I'd be concerned that it still wouldn't meet with being in "new condition." 

I have to agree with quite a few people here and say that I would also pass on this one. It is just way too subjective. They only time I have ever accepted a request with conditions and then PM'd to make sure my book met the conditions was when I was 99% sure it did, but wanted to be 100% sure. In that case the conditions were quite specific, I believe they said no writing in the book, and I sent a PM to make sure that the book being signed by the author would be ok ( you never know).

Thanks for the input.  I decided to decline, and put in my message my confusion about the RC and the fact that the book, while in good condition for a 14 YO book, was not  "in new condition" as specified. 

Now that we can re-request books declined due to RCs if we turn off the RCs, I'd decline and state why.  The Requestor can then turn off RCs and request again from you if they really want it anyway.

Sorry, why are multiple threads being posted on RC topics?  Why doesn't the poster send a PM to the requester to discussion the issue rather than discussing this issue with 3rd parties in a forum.