So these paper covers really work to mail books?  It seems kind of flimsy.  So I put $ in my pbs account and then print the labels?  Does it cost more to just wrap the book in a sturdy paper bag paper or a small box?

Unless you use DC you don't have to add money to your account, just print the wrapper. You can mail it in that wrapper if you like, I myself buy the bubble mailers and use those. Some people use brown paper grocery bags or the brown shipping paper you can buy by the roll. I sometimes use that for the over sized books that won't fit in the bubble mailers. Just wrap the book and tape the label on, I would advise you to use packing tape and not scotch tape. Also this is not required but often members will wrap the book in plastic prior to wrapping to keep it safe from the elements.

Welcome to PBS!

I have only used the PBS wrapper a couple of times. I've switched to using brown paper grocery bags, because it just seemed sturdier to me. Shipping is strictly by weight, so if you use a box it will probably be heavier. I didn't really notice the difference when I switched to the heavier brown paper, though. Make sure that you use plenty of packaging tape (NO cellophane tape!).

You only need to put $ into your PBS account if you want to use PBS's Delivery Confirmation (DC). You can print the wrapper without DC. If you do use DC, you will need to add 18 cents to your postage.

Happy mailing!

Thanks. I found 2 giant rolls of kids painting paper that'll be sturdier then the printer paper w/o adding a bunch of weight. 

That sounds like a good plan, Mary.  Welcome to PBS!

I use regular paper and unless it is an oversized book, the two pages that your print our are sufficient...as long as you use packing tape and tape it really well along any part that could catch on a machine.  I haven't heard that my packages were torn up or anything and I've mailed out a few this way.  for oversized books I use a few extra pieces of paper.  I think I'm going to change that but it has worked ok so far!

The PBS wrapper works for mass-market sized paperbacks (the usual smaller size); the trick is that you want at least two thicknesses of at-least-as-thick-as-printer-paper material between your book and the cold, cruel world. If your book is big enough that the ends of the wrapper don't touch, then you need another layer in there or some other material.

I go to the home center and buy the really big rolls of brown kraft paper they sell in the painting department -- for covering carpet and windows, masking stuff off -- and it lasts FOREVER. Plus it's only like $5 for an 8-inch-thick roll that would be $20 at the office-supply or craft store. :->

I got a roll of the paper from Lowes (have to support my sister's compnay).  I paid $8 for a roll that is something like 340 square feet.  Came in handy last week when I had over 30 books to mail out.  Compared to the price that you'd pay for just a small roll of the brown paper at Walmart, it's well worth the $8 spent.  I also buy  packages of 25 envelopes that the MMP fit in, sometimes I've gotten  the larger ones, if I had hardcovers that need to be sent out--won't need those for a long time, of course, now that I have this large roll of brown paper to use

I wrap in plastic wrap and then use bubble pack envelopes. Don't like the paper as a wrapper.

What everybody else has said.....

I've sent and received many single MMPB books wrapped in the 2 sheets of paper, and they made it through just fine. 

I do use a plastic inner wrap--saran-type wrap, or newspaper bags.  I normally print the 1-page wrapper, cut out the requestor's address and the book name, and put it inside the inner wrap.  Then I use a second sheet of random paper, the label sheet outside, and plenty of tape, with extra layers of tape over the hole I cut out.

So far, 200+ books, I've not had one stay lost in the mail.  (One came back to me, shockingly, but was delivered the second time around.  Nobody could figure that one out--why they could not deliver, why the PO sent it back to me.  But PO took it back with no more postage, and it got to its new home.)