For the last 2 months I have been going on the post office on Sundays to mail my books.  I have been using the self service kiosk and just buying stamps for the price of the shipping for each book.  Well I went in this past Sunday and that option is now gone from the machine.  Does anyone know why they got rid of it?  I was trying to avoid the crowds.  

I went yesterday and correct.....no more labels to run off for books. I've sent an inquiry to usps.com as nobody at the post office could answer where that option went. Will post if they ever answer me.

Thanks.  I hope you hear back!!

Well, USPS said they didn't know what I was talking about and gave me the number of the head of my local post office. I called and spoke to the woman in charge. She said the machines were recently updated and she'd go check. When she came back she told me that, yes, that option was no longer available but I could use the LARGE ENVELOPE option and that would cover the books. I don't thinks that's an option.

UPDATE:  Ran out to mail my books and checked it out at another post office at mine the machine wasn't working for everything. As I suspected, you can't use the envelope option to mail books as it was all first class and amounts weren't what we need. That was also confirmed when I asked at the counter.  They didn't know anything about the machine options or their disapperance. Nobody knows anything.

So, I guess we're out of luck unless enough people complain and they put that option back.

Thank you for the info.  It is just so funny that no one knew that the update took it out.   I am going tomorrow to mail some books I will see what my local post office has to say about it.

I went to the post office today to purchase my "media mail" stamps from the kiosk and had the same issue.  I also submitted a ticket to USPS for my local post office not realizing this was a larger problem beyond my local machine until tonight when I thought to check the PBS forums.  

I asked at the counter yesterday as well and they knew nothing about it.  

My work around was I printed 2 $1.40 stamps for the books with media mail rate up 1lb of $2.80

My post master followed up with me on my ticket.  She also talked to the local kiosk programmer to see if he could reprogram it at least on a local level.  He isn't able to so for now I don't have a way to access the screen where you enter whatever amount you want on the stamp.  
 

In the meantime I've looked into PayPal printing which appears to let me print postage with no additional fees.  I use the free tracking forms from the USPS already and will continue to do that instead of paying PayPal extra for tracking.  

There is no option to print any other amount for stamps than first class stamps which you can't use on media mail.  That option for whatever amount you want to print for stamps has been taken away.

I use Paypal shipping also, and always check the box for "USPS Tracking® ($0.23 USD)".

I have never been charged the $0.23, and am able to track the package.  Don't know if this a just a glitch on my end, but you may want to try it to see if you are charged for tracking or not.

Thanks Sherry!  I still have about 100 of the USPS #400 forms at the house to use up first.  They are the tracking stickers from USPS that are free to use and request from the USPS.  My mail person scans them when he picks up my packages at the house.  

A while back, tracking became free with Media Mail. I ship all my books with Paypal postage, and don't have to pay for tracking. I absolutely LOVE paypal shipping. Use it for everythig; not just books.

Please do not use the "large envelope" option at the kiosk unless your package is less than 3/4" and flexible. 

If you have a scale and a printer you can easily print media mail postage at home via PirateShip.com or PayPal, that way you do not have any obligation to present the package to a human.

But if you were using the kiosk because you lack these things, and the kiosk is no longer selling any stamps at all, you are going to have to go to the counter if your books are over 1/2" thick or over 10oz, because if you mail them with normal postage stamps, they have to be presented in-person, you can't just drop in a box. 

Honestly, if you mail things with any regularity and you want to avoid catching a virus, it would be worth the money to get a scale and a printer so you can ship from home. Scales are $20 or less on Amazon and printers can be found for under $50, and you can likely find both for less in local facebook groups. 

The tracking thing on PayPal is just their crappy website design. Tracking became free with media mail like 5+ years ago. It does not matter whether or not you check the box in PayPal, it won't change the price. Tracking is always part of media mail now. 

I was able to use the mail package option to buy stamps fpr $1.00 and $1.80, and used the 2 together to make the $2.80 for media mail.