I have some old books on my bookshelf and when I receive a request for one I send the requestor a PM informing them of the book's condition and giving them the opportunity to cancel. But maybe I should be the one to cancel the request, so that the request gets passed on to someone else's bookshelf?

Or, when the requestor cancels do they then have to re-request the book and could they end up back at my bookshelf if there are only a couple of copies in the system?

If the book is wish listed, then the person posting needs to cancel to keep the place on the WL.  If the book is on a bookshelf and available, then the requestor can cancel.  They will have the option to re request the book.  A way around the loop that happens with only one copy posted, is to add a RC.

An easier way to resolve this is to remember that as long as the book is postable by PBS conditions, there is no need to PM the potential receiver. If the book does not meet postability standards, then offer the books on the Book Bazaar.

If you do elect to PM and the person doesn't want the book, then in my opinion you should cancel since you were the one alerting them of a potential problem with the book. Of course, that means you lose your place in the FIFO queue and go to the back of the line when you repost the book.

The person requesting CAN cancel if it was a request for a book that was in the system, but then if they request it again from FIFO, since you will have retained your place at the front of the queue, the request will just come right back to you since it wasn't an issue of declining for a requestor condition, and basically that person won't be able to request the book from FIFO without the order going to you until someone else orders the book.

The other issue is, what if you don't hear back from the person by the time the mailing deadline comes? Do you send the book or not? This is why I don't PM...there are so many potential problems that stem from it, and there really is no need to do so. If your book is postable and the requestor has no RCs, boom...you should be good to go.

In the case of posting a wishlisted book that you PM about, you as the poster should absolutely cancel, as the requestor loses their place on the wishlist if they cancel.

As others have said, if you have doubts about the postability of the books, remove them from your shelf and offer them in the book bazaar or list them as 'freebies with another order from my shelf' kind of thing.

Cheryl

I agree with what Scott & Babs said about pm'ing - it's not a good idea and if your books don't meet postability standards you ought to post in the Bazaar.

To answer your question:

If the book is wishlisted, then you need to cancel the request, otherwise the person will lose their place in the wishlist line (if they were to cancel).

If the book is not wishlisted, then you should cancel the request; the next book in the FIFO line will be offerred to the requestor.

Another vote for not-PMing if a book meets the posting guidelines.  If a book is in a gray area then I just don't post them.  If a book meets the posting guidelines, the I post it and send it without a PM about it's condition no matter how old it is.  It's up to the sender to set up RCS if they want specific cover editions or anything above and beyond the posting guidelines.

I have PMed about old out of print books.  They were postable, just so old that they were brittle.  Might well have not been postable after media mail.  I worded the PM to tell the person the condition and say that I would mail on such a date if I did not hear from them that they wished me to cancel.  I would select the latest mail by date. 

This would not work for the textbook/cookbook warning.  There you need a response or you must cancel.

Emily, personally if a book is so old and brittle that you fear media mail might make it upspostable I am thinking it already is unpostable as it does not sound like it is in good condition. If you keep doing it that way I would do it the way textbooks and cookbooks are done and not mail unless you get a responce to do so.