a book on your WL were offered, you accepted, they mailed it, it went lost and it went back on your WL and before the 2 week period that PBS suggests, the book were again offered, but in the meantime the original book still  hadn't yet arrived?

Would you accept the second book and hope that the first really was lost in the mail? 

What if after you accept the second book, the first one does show up and it shows it was mailed in a timely manner, would you still be responsible for marking the book received? 

Then when the second book arrives would you also be responsible for marking that book received?

Also if the original sender mailed the book late, but within the 2 week period that PBS suggests you wait before reordering, would you still be responsible for marking the book received?

This hasn't happened to me, but is just something I've been wondering about - think I have too much time on my hands.  Thanks.  Pat

There could be variables Pat, but the short answer is if you re-order within the recommended two weeks the requester could end up with two copies and owe a credit for each of them. 

From the Help Documents:

What you should do if a book you requested is declared Lost in the Mail:

• Contact the sender, to find out if mailing was delayed for some reason.
  • you can do this from your Transaction Archive, using the PM button on this Lost transaction in that list.

• If the mailing was not delayed, the sender should call 800-ASK-USPS or go to http://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/forms/MLNtRcvd.aspx (the Postal Inspection Service's website) and input the information online there . This will help USPS try to recover the book if it truly has been lost in the mail.
• Don't re-request the book for at least 2 weeks, unless you are willing to run the risk of getting two copies (and paying a credit for both).

You're responsible for marking both books received if and when you receive them unless the book that originally went lost would qualify for the exception.

*There is an exception for late-mailed books:

• If a book was mailed more than 2 weeks late without notice to you about late mailing before it was mailed and
• was already declared Lost at PBS before it arrives, and
• you re-requested the book after it was declared "lost in the mail"  and
• you end up with 2 copies, THEN
• you do not have to mark the late-mailed-without-notice copy received.
  • Note: the late mailing must be confirmed- either the sender has told you this or the postmark on the package confirms it.  Sometimes Media Mail takes a long time, so a late-arriving book cannot be presumed to have been mailed late.

I had a new release on its way to me that recently went lost and I gotta say it's really hard waiting another two weeks before I take it off hold on my wishlist. I'm thinking about just taking my chances and forking out the two credits if they both arrive.

Yup, if you submit a second request for the book in less than 2 weeks after the book was marked lost, you will be responsible for giving credits for both books you receive. If you do not want to pay for 2 books, you should put a lost Wish List book on Hold so that you don't get offered another copy.

I would accept it the 2nd request.  If I got both books, then I would post one to the system.  Although when it comes to marking them received, I think WL'd books should have a separate standard.  If you've been waiting a while for a book and the 1st copy goes lost, you should not have to wait 2 weeks if another books becomes available.  If you decline it, then lose your spot in line.  Then what happens if you don't get the 1st copy.  If you accept it, then you could be out 2 credits (or 1 credit and postage to send the 2nd one out).  It's a catch 22 on WL'd books.

I've always felt the same, Kellie. If TPTB don't want us to re-order the book right away, they might do well to look into a way of preventing the system from throwing us right back up to the front of the line. In some cases, a second copy could be ordered, printed and sent before you have a chance to log in and stop it. Maybe preserving our place in line, but automatically placing the book on hold and giving the member the power to decide when to remove the hold.

When the system marked the book lost, the I'd go to my wishlist and place the book on wishlist hold there.  I'd wait a few weeks before taking off hold, to see if the first book arrived.

If I forgot to place it on hold and got 2 copies, I'd mark them both received and repost one of them.

Thanks everyone.  That's what I thought.  For a heavily WLd book, it wouldn't be a problem, but for one that only comes up once 'in a blue moon', it would be really hard to sit back and wait.  Pat

For that "once in a blue moon" WL book, I;d be accepted the second offer. Working on the logic of I'd rather have two copies, than none LOL

Oooh, I like Mistie's solution.  Hard to ever have too many books!! 

I also would put a regularly posted one on hold and a rarely posted one-I'd leave that one off hold. It's really just a matter of how important getting that particular book is to you.