I'm a little unsure what to do here... I just received a book that has about 3 pages with underlining and a page with writing (numbers next to text). It's just a regular book, not a textbook nor cookbook, etc. Lately I've received several books that don't meet PBS posting quidelines and others that are just... well, I'm a little diasppointed. One was a new book but it has a stain on the edge which seeped into a couple of pages (coffee or soda). Another had pages that were seperated from other pages and were halfway removed from binding. A couple have been lost in the mail. Another was so filthy with some small food (?) stains and looked like someone had bitten on the edge of the cover. Some were received without the edges taped over when shipped so the wrapping ripped and they got a little scuffed up.

I requested my point back for the book that had the pages comming out. The sender returned the point but made some offhand remark about it... can't remember.

I hate having to RWAP but it upsets me when I receive books that are messed up. I also wrap so the book has protection durring shipment; at least I think I do:)

Should I mark this book RWAP? The underling and writing does distract because they aren't my "reminders" in the book. I haven't requested any books lately because I'm a little afraid to, lol. Although I should add that I've received books that were postable and wrapped nicely and I always note that when I mark received. It seems it's a 50/50 thing lately.

What would some of you do?

Leslie

The books you describe are unpostables and those senders may unfortunately continue to send out books with stains, highlighting, writing, etc. to you (and me) if it is not brought to their attention.  Go for your credit back and chances are the next book you order will be fine.   Most of us try to send good stuff.  RWAP for sure, especially since you can't reswap the books here.

I would RWAP even if its not a distraction, writing and/or underlining makes the book unpostable, so they should not have posted it.  It's up to you about requesting a credit return though, you don't have to ask for it back every time you mark a book RWAP.

On a side note.  That's the first time I noticed RWAP and wrap are so close in spelling, just never accurred to me, and it messed me up for min. Been a long day LoL :)

You need to mark it RWAP - damaged by sender. Send them the info in the Help Center about no writing/highlighting in the book. If the book was used as a textbook/workbook they needed to PM you and get your written approval of the writing/highting BEFORE mailing the book. No book with writing in it can be send without the receivers knowledge AND acceptance. Ask for your credit back. We need to hold members accountable to sending postable books to keep the system working.

Even if this were a textbook, the sender would have had to PM you first and let you know of the writing/highlighting before they sent it and get your okay.  They clearly didn't do that so I would definitely RWAP it and request my credit back.

Sorry you've had a run of bad books being sent to you.  I've only had one or two RWAP books in 2+ years.

Sorry you've had a bad spate.  I want to say most people post and mail books in really good condition.  Sometimes the books seem to be practically new.  And some are gently worn, and some are a little beat up, but still fall within the guidelines.  But some doozies do make it through.  As responsible members we need to create awareness and let the sender know that they need to be more careful to not send unpostables.  If they do it consistently, their membership will be in jeopardy.  If it was an accident they should have no problem refunding your credit.  Mistakes do happen and won't count against them if it only happened in error and  they cooperate in clearing up the problem. 

Mark anything that goes against PBS rules as RWAP.  The one with underlining should have been cleared with you by PM before the sender mailed it.  Books can be underlined even if they''re not tradtional texts.  I have lots of PB books that I read/studied in college and other folks read books in reading book clubs.  You can decline that and they are supposed to cancel the order so you can get the next one FIFO.  If you don't care, then no big deal, but you need to have the choice.

The stains, especially liquid stains, are unacceptable.  Ick. Those should not have been mailed and by marking them RWAP you can ask the sender to refund your credit.  You won't be able to repost them.

Gnawed pages are against the rules; I think it mentions this twice in the same section.  But general minor scuffing is okay, it's normal wear and tear.  But most folks can usually tell if a book is on its last reading; once the spine is too dry and the glue cracks the pages will become loose.  All the trauma of shipping no matter the padding, will often just make it worse and then it's time for it to be retired.  You cannot repost them either so you should get your credit back.  The sender should not have posted them in the first place.  At the very least they could have alerted you to say they realized the book was more worn out than they realized when they posted it and and would cancel unless you really wanted it.  In that case you could decide and be forewarned.

I have had issues with underlining, which is one of the reasons it is 1 of my 2 dont-do-this Requestor Conditions. And the chewed on thing - yuck! My first (and so-far-only) RWAP was given out because the sender sent a book that appeared to have been chewed on. The whole point of the RWAP process is to replace the feedback process (as on ebay & other sites) with a means of telling someone - hey, you broke the rules! I want me money (Credit) back !

So, yes, 100% agree with everyone else here -- DO mark every one of these as RWAP - and make a note to yourself who sent them so you can avoid ordering from them again.

Thanks for the replies! I received three books today and the one with the underlining was the first one I opened. I delayed opening the second one, but it's great!

I think I will mark the book RWAP. I need to do this to all the unpostable. The sender may not have checked through the book while posting or before sending, but a person should. I've got books that look great inside and out, but leafing through the pages I'll notice writing, damaged binding, etc. I know someone may want it but would I want it mailed to me?

Shannie - I noticed the same thing! I had to keep backspacing to get RWAP and wrap in the right places, lol.

Leslie

Hi Leslie,

     I too am sorry you have had a run of bad luck lately.  Like others have said most times the transactions go just fine, but occasionally the bad apples slip in.   I also just had an experience with underlining of text.  I always try to do a quick thumb through of the pages to look for any problems, but i completely missed this underlining.  It was done in a very faint yellow highlighter and some in ink.  Granted, it is not alot, but it still would have made the book unpostable.  As mentioned, I missed  this, and therefore didn't RWAP.   Naturally it was a WL book which I had planned to re-post, but can't now.   I know there's at least 3 other people who have this book on their WL.   My question is, if I offer it as an unpostable do I still ask for credit for it?  The book is in good condition except for that small amount of underlining.  Thanks so much for any suggestions!

If it's an honest mistake on the sender's part, like they didn't read the book or thumb thru it before sending it, they'll apologize and return your credit right away.

hello everyone,

Its its it only concidered unpostable if there is writing in the story ?  because , I've received books that have writing ( like names & stuff) on the .inside cover. I just want to make sure before I repost them ? I wouldnt want to get in trouble for sending a unpostable.   thanks

The first one the sender responded promptly and credited (albiet telling me she GOT the book in that condition as a swap). This second one has told me to send the book BACK to her before she will credit me...

Question:
Does she have that power after I did a RWAP? Is it up to her whether she can send a book that does not meet club standards?

Lisa - the book conditions clearly allow signatures or short notes on the cover/flyleaf and the no writing/underlining applies to text pages.

Jennifer, unfortunately the sender does hold the power in a RWAP because they can decide to just not give the credit back. When you mark it unresolved it will be a double black mark on their account so they won't get away with that activity for long before the site kicks them out. If they clearly admit that a book was unpostable in PMs, but still refuse to give the credit back, I would send that info the the site through the Contact Us link. They won't get involved in individual swap problems, but I have seen them take the credit from the sender and give it back to the receiver in a few cases where a sender admits the book was clearly sent against site rules and still refuses to return the credit.

You know, I've received a few books with underlining, writing, or highlighting, but I didn't realize it until I had already marked them received. And I've received one or two books that were unpostable, but I didn't have the nerve to mark them RWAP (blame it on my conflict avoidance). Just yesterday I received one with underlining on over 50 pages of the book (spread throughout). I got up my nerve to mark it RWAP, noting the underlining and the fact that it's unpostable, and politely asking for my credit back. I'll be curious to see what happens.

There are 2 main reasons I decided to finally mark one RWAP:

1. I can't swap the book again, which means I'm stuck with books I can't do anything with.

2. The sender needs to know what the rules are, and to not send things that are unpostable. I'd like to give them the benefit of the doubt and hope they just don't realize that what they're doing is against the rules. And if I don't make the effort to let them know, they'll continue to send out unpostables.

Fortunately, RWAP books are an infrequent occurrence, and I'm glad for that.

I had an old book requested and I sent a message to the person requesting it that the book was old with tanning edges and she replied to send it anyway. 

I wonder if giving the receiving party a choice (describing anything unusual)  may be the best policy.

You should be fine Gini, if the receiver RWAP's for age or discoloration, you have a pm accepting those same conditions.

I too am sorry that you are having such a bad stretch with unpostables.  In the 121 books I have received through PBS only two have caused me request credit back. Unfortunately, people can be rude and call you names (in the case of my most recent RWAP) but if you get your credit back, the issue would be resolved.  If you do nothing, then people continue to flaunt the rules that have been set up for that very protection.   I have even sent things out in the past that I hadn't checked and had to refund credit but I considered it a lesson learned.  Best of luck to you!

I had an old book requested and I sent a message to the person requesting it that the book was old with tanning edges and she replied to send it anyway. 

I wonder if giving the receiving party a choice (describing anything unusual)  may be the best policy.

Gini, I just wrote almost the same thing in another thread!  And yes, I agree with you that it is better to let them know ahead of time about the discoloring of the pages.   In the case of a very elderly book, I feel it is only normal for that to happen, and should be taken into consideration by all of us.  After all, if it's a great read, what harm does the aging color do?  Mine came that way, I accepted it, and it was accepted that way again by its new requestor.       :)     D.