I know how to find out how many of a particular book are in the system.  What I can't figure out is if there is a way to find out where my book is in the FIFO system.  I have a book on my shelf by a very popular author (Lora Leigh) whose books are hard to come by.  There are 7 in the system.  I have a friend who wants to borrow the book but, since I am short on credits, I don't want to let it go if I am #1 in the fifo lineup.  She's a slow reader and wants to be able to keep the book for at least two weeks.

Sorry Kate--There isn't any way to find out where you currently are in the FIFO system.  From what I've read here, there are quite a few (probably most) PBS'ers who would like something like this, and TPTB have said a few times they are working on implementing something that will allow people to have that information but it hasn't been done yet.

I think the only thing that you definitely would know is that if you let your friend borrow the book for a couple of weeks, that when you repost it it will go to the end of the FIFO line.

I do put a note on each of my books when I post them. I write down how many books there were in the system at the time that I posted the book. It really isn't accurate at times, but it still helps to give me some insight.

I do put a note on each of my books when I post them. I write down how many books there were in the system at the time that I posted the book. It really isn't accurate at times, but it still helps to give me some insight.

That's a great idea and one I hadn't thought of.  I keep an Excel spreadsheet of all my favorite authors checking off the books that are in my library, on my shelf and books I have read.  I can add a column for PBS and put the number it was when I posted it there!

I really don't care about books where there are over 100 in the system.  I figure the only way I will ever get rid of them is by someone buying directly from my shelf.  But, if it's a book with few copies in the system, I would like to know where I am in FIFO.

I think Murphy's Law says something on these lines:).  Once your friend gets about 15 pages into it, the book will be requested from you.  Is it an option to put it on "hold" to save YOUR place in line?  Also, since you have like 5 days to accept the request and then 5 days to mail it (something like that...I always try to accept and mail right away...) then if it's requested a few days from now, she'd still have well over a week with it...

You can put the book on hold on your bookshelf until your friend returns it.

As for myself, having a decent amount of books listed on this site for three and a half years that haven't moved (and tons more in my TBR pile), I would like to see where I am on the FIFO list for these books, especially the few childrens books I have, and the books that are in less than impressive condition.

But if she puts that individual book on hold on her bookshelf, it's basically the same thing as removing it, because that will cause her to lose her place in FIFO. I just tested this recently, and individual books on hold on the bookshelf LOSE FIFO SPOT. It basically removes the book from public view, and when I unheld it, the new "date posted" was that day. (This is not the same as individual hold on the WISHLIST...there, you retain your place in line.)

Cheryl

I do put a note on each of my books when I post them. I write down how many books there were in the system at the time that I posted the book. It really isn't accurate at times, but it still helps to give me some insight.

Wow, that is an impressive level of organization.

But if she puts that individual book on hold on her bookshelf, it's basically the same thing as removing it, because that will cause her to lose her place in FIFO. I just tested this recently, and individual books on hold on the bookshelf LOSE FIFO SPOT.

If there is no way of knowing what your spot is on the FIFO list, I don't see how you could know that putting a hold on a book puts it at the end of the FIFO list once it's taken off.  Just because it changes the posted date on your shelf doesn't necessarily mean the book moved on the FIFO list.

Perhaps someone on the PBS staff can answer this question.

Perhaps someone on the PBS staff can answer this question.

It's already been answered in previous threads.  It's my understanding it's common knowledge that when a book is put on hold it goes back to the end of the FIFO line when it comes off hold.

ETA: Stupid computer. Can't tell if my stuff is posting correctly 

 Just because it changes the posted date on your shelf doesn't necessarily mean the book moved on the FIFO list.

Yes, it does because the FIFO listing is driven by the post date, same as the Wish List is driven by the Wish date. The books are lined up by the post/wish date so if your date changes, your place just changed.

And yes we have asked for clarification in the past when the feature was first added, they confirmed it moves you to the back of the FIFO line. Its just shorter than deleting and reposting.

I asked this question, "If you place one individual book on hold and not the rest of your bookshelf, do you lose your FIFO position on that one book?", to Live Help before you all starting replying.

This is the reply I received-- "For the period it is on hold, yes. When you take it off hold, and return it to your shelf, it goes back to the same place in FIFO.;"

Now, I'm really confused after reading what the rest of you said.

My experience with Lora Leigh books-it won't be on your shelf for long.  I read her too.  Few of her books aren't WL and even when they have a few copies in teh system they move pretty quickly.  So my guess is even if you started at the end of the line again it would get ordered fairly soon.  I posted Maverick by her and at the time it had about 20 copies.  It was ordered from me within a week through FIFO and then it was WL again for a bit. 

I don't even see a Lora Leigh book on your shelf.

That TG is wrong Connie. Some of the TGs don't spend much time in the forums and would not have seen the Team's post on the subject, but I can state with certainty that the Team has posted on this in the past and the book IS removed from the FIFO list and goes back in line when you remove the Hold. It will be a post that was started in early 2008, when I have time I will go did it up.

The books we receive through the system are put on our shelf on Hold. It doesn't make sense that it would place you in the FIFO list at that point because you could take years to repost if you do so at all. It would not be fair to members who have the book available and waited in line to get bumped back by someone who does not have the book available that whole time.

The Wish List Hold works in the other manner (you get your place back in line when you take the Hold off) and maybe that TG was confusing the two issues thinking you were asking about your Wish List, not your Shelf.

I did just browse our TG file for help in answering questions. On a quick browse I only found it mentioned in one section on how to maintain shelves for more than one address. At the end its notated:   Note: When you place Books on Hold it will remove them from your bookshelf. So, when you repost them you will go back to the end of the FIFO line.
 

To the OP - maybe you should tell your friend to join PBS and request the book.  If your copy is first in the FIFO line the request should come to you, then you can hand it to her, she can mark it recieved, and you get your credit.  Plus you'll get the credit for referring a new member.

Thanks, Melanie! What you said sure makes sense to me. I think you're right about the TG that answered my question. She didn't have many forum posts. Sherry N. was the first one I asked and she didn't answer until an hour ago as she must have had to leave earlier. Sherry said the same thing as you did that the book indeed would lose its position. I was really curious myself about this even before this thread.