I am brand new to PBS today, and just got my first request (for a two-book boxed set of James Beard cookbooks.) The request included a full page of conditions, and, frankly, I'm offended. All this for a set of 20+ year old paperback cookbooks? It sounds like this person is a dealer, not an "Avid Reader" and wants me to send my vintage set so he/she can sell it and make a profit. Is that allowed? Are most requests going to be this elaborate? I haven't responded to the request yet--I think my books meet the criteria, but "clean" is relative, especially in a cookbook, and the boxed set is not "like new." What do you think? Here are the conditions I received, verbatim:

PBS IS A USED (NOT AB-USED) SWAP SITE I don't expect NEW, NEVER-TOUCHED-BEFORE books from a USED booksite, but I do expect CLEAN, WELL-CARED books of the same quality I would recieve if I swapped my own clean, well-cared for books at the local bookstores in my area. I use online swapping sites to expand the range of titles available to me--wishlists left at my local area stores of non-bestseller type non-fiction titles don't get many fills, particularly in the areas of cookbooks and history. First, any further books I receive that have ANY type of liquid damage will result in a damaged book complaint being filed and a request for a refund of my credit. THIS IS A PBS minimum posting requirement and should not even have to be mentioned in individual requestor conditions. Please, no books that have a strong smoke smell or that have mold/mildew or even smell musty. (Sorry, just being around them set off my allergies and makes them unreadable). No library (or ex-library) books. No books that have stickers/tape/etc. of any kind on the OUTSIDE of the book. Inside SINGLE small bookplates or address labels of less than 2'' square are ok, but no excessive stickers/tape/etc. or anything indicating "free book". No clipped corners (or sides) on the covers. No missing dust jackets. If the book had a dust jacket when it was new, it should be sent with the book in good condition (light shelfwear along the edges and small rips from normal wear ok, but large missing chunks are not). If the book has a laminated (with dust jacket type information/illustrations) cover rather than cloth/paper cover, it doesn't matter whether it has a dust jacket or not. I'm also aware that many university/small speciality presses (like ARE) don't have dust jackets on their hardcover books at all.

Welcome to PBS, Margaret.  Don't be offended by the book conditions.  Just mark that you cannot meet the conditions and state why you can't in the box.  If it were me, I would just say that I couldn't meet the litany of conditions listed.  Don't feel bad about it.  Many of us have had to turn down requests for any number of reasons and some people decline all book requests with conditions.

Conditions are allowed. That being said, I would probably decline this request because quite frankly, I quit reading after the first 2 sentences. "Well-cared for" I think is subjective. What I think is well cared for, this member may not and I'm not going to play guessing games. I have no idea what the quality of the books in his/her local bookstore are. I'm sure if you decline, there will be someone else who would love to have your books. Just make sure they meet the minimum conditions and welcome to PBS!

Boy, for being your first day you sure got a doozy of a condition!!  You'll find that normally most people don't have conditions on their account, and most of the ones I've come across are very short with just one or two sentences...  usually not wanting a book from a smoking home, or no pets.  

So, this isn't something you will run into very often.   If you don't feel comfortable sending a book (especially an older one) with these conditions, don't feel bad about declining.  Someone else will surely request your books and not require so much of them! 

Welcome to the site and enjoy it!  Please don't let this scare you away!  :)

Oh, I recall this same person's conditions being discussed a while ago. The big thing was the 2" bookplates/labels. Hope you have an excellent ruler available.

I remember others posting the exact same requestor's conditions (you really think more than one person has the exact same novel of conditions?!)  I personally find it offensive, like a lecture, and I wouldn't want my books going to this person even if they were brand spanking new and never read.  In fact I got one a week ago where the condition was "must be brand new."  I declined on the spot and the funny thing is is that it was a brand new book!  We're trading used books for crying out loud.  I get the occasional one for no smoky smelling books and I don't smoke so that's not a biggie.

Sorry this had to happen to you on your first day!  Conditions are few and far between, I've found.  I'm sure someone else will snatch up your books soon!

ps........the requestor still stinks of re-seller to me.

1st      I would deny this trade because someone so uptight  is sure to find some fault- so why take a chance on losing your credit?.....
2nd    Why not split the boxed set into 2 cookbooks--that way gaining 2 credits?

I would definitely decline this request.  Furthermore, I agree with splitting the set.  This way you'll get 2 credits for your books.

Just don't ever take conditions personally.   It's not worth the effort.   Do whatever pleases you - accept or decline - and don't feel badly either way.     Life is too short to agonize over someone else's preferences.   Since conditions of all kinds are allowed on PBS, we will get conditions of ALL kinds.  Some of them just make me laugh!!  lol

Welcome to PBS!  I've only been here a few months and only once have I had a request with conditons.  They were nicely worded though and easy to follow (they just asked for no smoke or mildew smell).  Conditions as long and specific as that, I think I'd decline also.  The member sounds hard to please.

Just so you know, hardcovers do NOT have to include the dustjacket.

Welcome again!

I would also just decline and not send the book. I quit reading those conditions after the first few sentences and it sure does smell like a re-seller to me.

Too bad this had to happen on your first swap!  As others have said, most people don't have conditions, and if they do, they are almost never that extensive.  My advice would be to turn down the requestor, they sound extraordinarily picky and would likely nit pick over small details once the books are received.  I hope this experience does not turn you off to PBS!  Welcome, and you've done the right thing by asking questions before acting.

Margaret, not only are conditions normally few and far between (sometimes I get a "flurry" the none for months), but they are normally very straight forward:

Cannot accept books from a smoking home, Cannot accept book from homes w/ pets, No Ex-library, No Bookcrossing, etc, etc.  They might not be THAT simplified, lol, but most are easy to understand. 

As so many have said, I'd decline that in a heartbeat.  The Dust Jacket thing is a particular pet peeve of mine.  NOT that they want it, I have no objection to that whatsoever......I prefer them, too, just not enough to have a condition about it.  It's the "If it came w/ one, it should only be sent w/ one" lecture that toasts my tootsies.  PBS said HCs do not have to have them, so save your lecture for someplace else!   Ooops, sorry, didn't mean to rant, LOL.

Welcome to PBS!! It's gonna be uphill from here. ;-)

Hi Margaret-welcome to PBS! 

I haven't had problems with conditions-but wow-I'd be kind of scared of that one, and I've been a member for almost two years!  I would turn down that request, only because I would be afraid there's no pleasing this person! 

Most conditions I have come across have been like others said on here-"no smokey or musty smell please", stated very nicely.

I hope you have some more positive requests soon!

Margaret,

I had a request from that very same lady.  I also considered declining due to her strict conditions.  Her wish list is full of cookbooks (as is mine), so if you post more, you might run into her again.  I did end up sending my cookbook and it must have been fine because I didn't hear any complaints. 

It sounds like she has been burned before, if you read her public profile.  I don't blame you for turning down the request.

Welcome, Margaret!  I don't really have anything to add to all of the above posts, but I will say that in my year and a half as a member I've only occasionally gotten conditions and only once gotten a "laundry list" condition that I felt I needed to turn down.  So I'd say that you just got that one out of the way right off the bat.  ;->  Don't let it deter you -- I look forward to swapping with you in the future!

ETA:  We'll be swapping sooner rather than later.  I just checked out your shelf and requested a great-looking cookbook.  (No, not the Beard!)  :->

Hello Margaret!  I have seen this condition before, maybe on the forums?  It's totally up to you, of course, but if it were me, I would turn it down.  Just the tone of it sets my nerves on edge.  And I would split the set up as well and try to score 2 credits.

I have to agree with most the posts here. I wouldn't let it bother you. I think conditions are fine  unless they are misused. I wouldn't have sent my book to them either because I would have feared losing my credit because of someone who is more picky than me. In over a year I've only had two people with conditions (one non-smoker books and one asking me to send to an APO) both of these I went ahead and did of course since I am a non-smoker and I don't mind spending a little more for shipping sometimes. I think you will find that people with such strict conditions are rare on here. I hope this doesn't upset you too much, enjoy this site it's wonderful and full of really great people too! Hope to see you around and happy reading!

My goodness! I think if I had that, I'd decline just because I don't have time to read it all. ;) I also agree it sounds like a reseller.

Welcome to PBS~!  I would have rejected the request upon seeing the size of the conditions, I couldn't make it thru even half of them! I would also forward that to R & R for evaluation because it certainly appears that you are dealing with a re-seller. I would put money that those books if sent would be destined for either craig's list or e-bay.

Oh, I've had her before, I just turned her down.  I figure it my eyes are starting to get hazy reading the conditions, I'm just not going to send the books.  She sounds like she'd find something wrong where everything was fine.