• If a book you requested does not arrive by the 26th day (the 35th day if the sender or requestor is outside the contiguous US) after it was marked mailed, it will be declared lost in the mail at PBS. The requestor does not mark the book Lost; the system does this. 

The requestor will get credit back, and the book will go onto the Wish List (if there are no available copies in the system) or the Reminder List (if there are other copies available to request).  If the book was a Wish List book when it was requested before, the requestor will go back to his or her previous place "in line" for the book.

What to do if a book is declared "lost" en route to you:

• If you are at an address outside the contiguous US, OR the book was coming from an address outside the contiguous US, read  If you are sending or requesting a book from/to outside the continental/contiguous US.... Also follow the rest of the instructions below.

No matter what the orgination or destination address of the book, follow the instructions below:

• Check with the sender about the mailing date (in case it got mailed late or there was a problem with mailing) -- you can use the PM button on the "lost" transaction in your Transaction Archive to send the message
  • If the mailing was not delayed, the sender can call 800-ASK-USPS and supply the tracking # for the package [or in the case of suspected mail theft, call 1-877-876-2455 or go to https://www.uspis.gov/ (the Postal Inspection Service's website)] .
  • This will help USPS try to recover the book if it truly has been lost in the mail/misdelivered.
• You should also check with other members of the household to be sure the pacakage wasn't taken in and opened or placed somewhere in the house, without alerting you; also check with neighbors who might have received the package in error.
• Don't re-request the book for at least 2 weeks, unless you are willing to run the risk of getting two copies (and paying a credit for both). Members outside the contiguous US should wait longer, depending on their typical transit times.
  • If this is a Wish List book, you should put the Wish on hold while you are waiting, so you don't end up with 2 copie of the book.
  • If you do end up getting 2 copies of the book because you re-ordered within 2 weeks after it went "lost"
    • You must mark both copies received - Mark the "lost" book received from your Transaction Archive as described in I received a book that was 'lost in the mail'
    • The only exception to this is the situation when the "lost" book was actually mailed very late without notice from the sender - if this is the situation AND the requestor has re-requested and gotten a second copy, the requestor does not have to mark the late-mailed book as received.

If you are having a lot of books declared "Lost" en route to you:

• You should investigate this.  Excessive unreceived books may jeopardize your membership.
  • Numerous books sent separately but not arriving at your address implies that something is wrong with your mail delivery.
  • Requestors are responsible for providing correct, dependable mailing information to senders.
• Check your address in your Account Settings, to be sure that it is correct.
• You can send a PM to the sender of any or all of the lost books, to ask if the book was mailed late, by any chance, as described above.
• Talk to your PO and mail carrier to see if the book might have been misdelivered to a neighbor, or returned by mistake.
• Consider using a PO box or alternate (ie, work) address until the matter is sorted out.
• If you suspect mail theft, report this to USPS by calling 1-877-876-2455 and going to https://www.uspis.gov/ (the Postal Inspection Service's website)

Related Links:

A book I sent has been called 'lost in the mail'!
I received a book that was 'lost in the mail'
I received an empty wrapper--no book inside!
If you are sending or requesting a book from/to outside the continental/contiguous US...