I've found a book that I might be interested in.  It is currently available from one poster but there are very few details in the system (no picture, no book description, not even the number of pages).

Before I order this book I would like the opportunity to ask the poster a few questions about this item to make sure it is really what I want.  So my question is:  how do I contact someone about a book they posted without ordering the book?  How can I find out their name to send them a PM?

If you know the title and the author go to Amazon.com and look it up. I do this a lot when a book I'm interested in has no description and/or no reveiws.

I may be wrong, but I don't believe that you can contact a poster unless you order the book first.

That's what I would do, too. Anne is right, the only way to contact the person is after you've ordered the book. But if it's about the book's content, the poster of the book may have no clue anyway--I have many books on my bookshelf that I have never read so if someone were to ask a question about it, I wouldn't know.  If you want to be sure of the type of binding and other information about the 'external' part of the book, the best way is also to check at Amazon by copy/pasting the ISBN over there.  Once you decide if you do want to order the book, you can then PM the PBS member directly about that particular book.

Cheryl

Unfortunately, the book is out of print and both Amazon and Google have very little information for me (which makes me even more hesitant to place an order without knowing a little more about it.)

I think I'll order the book, PM the member, and cancel the order quickly.  It doesn't really seem like a good idea, but it's the only thing I can think of for this situation.  The only questions I have could be answerd by looking at the table of contents and the cover of the book.

That would be what you'd have to do then. And I think if you do need to cancel as long as you explain and are polite about it and just explain that there was no information about the book available online, there should be no problem.

Cheryl

Sometimes the public library websites have info on out of print books. Go to www.nypl.org and click the button for "Books and Materials", then hit the "Catalog" button. You will be able to enter the title of the book and if the library has a copy in the system they will provide you with the info.

You might be able to get the poster information before completing the order. On one of the screens it will have an Order More From Member button, if you click that you should see their name. If they have a public profile, you can then back out of the order process and look them up through the member directory. If they don't have a pulblic profile then the only way to PM them would be to order and then cancel.

Thanks Melanie, that is exactly what I did.  I was able to gain access to the member's username and bookshelf without ever finalizing my order, so I got to send my PM without commiting to an order.

I second the LofC suggestion. What is the title of the book, if you don't mind be asking?