What do you figure happened here?  It's the oddest thing I ever saw.  This comes from my transaction archive.  When the transaction was cancelled but I saw the sender had paid postage I kept an eye on it.  I thought maybe she'd just forgotten to mark it mailed, (PMed and didn't hear back) but I never saw the books.

Mailed From:
Mailed To: MA

Request Date: 7/9/2013 1:15 PM ET
Alternate Date: 7/12/2013 12:00 AM ET
Wrapper Printing(s):

• 7/11/2013 10:20 PM ET

Date Canceled: 7/15/2013 3:11 AM ET
USPS DC#: 9452110200817013054946

Delivery Confirmation Events

1. 7/12/2013 10:08 AM ET - Electronic Shipping Info Received - SAINT JOHNSVILLE, NY
2. 7/23/2013 11:52 AM ET - Acceptance - SAINT JOHNSVILLE, NY
3. 7/23/2013 6:28 PM ET - - SAINT JOHNSVILLE, NY
4. 7/23/2013 11:19 PM ET - Enroute - SYRACUSE, NY
5. 7/24/2013 1:30 AM ET - - SYRACUSE, NY
6. 7/24/2013 11:35 AM ET - Enroute - WARRENDALE, PA
7. 7/25/2013 4:58 AM ET - - WARRENDALE, PA
8. 7/26/2013 8:27 AM ET - Enroute - SPRINGFIELD, MA
9. 7/27/2013 5:15 AM ET - - SPRINGFIELD, MA
10. 7/27/2013 6:51 AM ET - Arrival at Unit - CAMBRIDGE, MA
11. 7/27/2013 6:51 AM ET - Delivered - CAMBRIDGE, MA
12. 8/4/2013 7:06 AM ET - Enroute - JERSEY CITY, NJ
13. 8/4/2013 9:53 PM ET - - JERSEY CITY, NJ
14. 8/5/2013 3:29 PM ET - Enroute - WARRENDALE, PA
15. 8/8/2013 9:11 AM ET - Arrival at Unit - SAINT JOHNSVILLE, NY

It looks like the mailing label was created 7/12, the package was dropped in the mail on 7/23, was sorted to Cambridge, and it was returned to sender (any postage or correct postage, did it have a notification left for item that was available and was never collected, something caused Cambridge to return it).

It was weird that it says it was canceled on 7/15 but was mailed on 7/23.  My best guess is there was not enough postage on the package and it was returned to sender.  Maybe it was delivered to the wrong house and was refused by the people living there. Is your address with PBS up to date?

It looks like they forgot to mark it mailed even though they'd mailed it - thats why it is cancelled.

Then, it was returned to the sender after the package was delivered in Cambridge. Possibly the package was mis-delivered and the post office never attempted to deliver it to the correct address after getting it back. Do you have a PO Box? Its possible they scanned it as delivered when they filled out a card for pickup to put in a mailbox and you didn't get the card?

I too thought the transaction cancelled because the send forgot to mark it mailed.  I PMed her to find out and got no reply.  And haven't heard from the sender since.

As for the mailing, I live in a building with a 24 hour doorman.  Never had a book "go lost" on the way to me.  I've received all the other books sent to me this summer (including a package yesterday).

Maybe there wasn't enough postage?  If the person had the PBS confirmation but didn't use PBS postage?   Is that common?

Maybe there wasn't enough postage? If the person had the PBS confirmation but didn't use PBS postage? Is that common?

I don't know about common. But a stamp could fall off. At my post office if I get counter postage I have to reach across the counter to press the meter strip down because for some reason the clerks at my PO stick it on with one finger and you can clearly see that its not completely attached.

Or the person could miscalculate the postage if they relied on the PBS book weight and didn't weigh the package.

So, sure, it could happen.

As already mentioned, your event details are probably a combination of two problems:

1. The sender failed to mark the book mailed.
2. Either a USPS or sender error that caused the package to be returned (various possible scenarios).