[LM_NET] help ensure kids 12 and under have access to library books

[Beth Yoke <byoke@ALA.ORG>]

Action Alert: Contact your Representatives' Offices and ask them to Sign
Rep. Fortenberry's Dear Colleague on Lead in Children's Books!     

 

Congress passed legislation titled "The Consumer Product Safety
Improvement Act of 2008" last August.  This legislation seeks to
decrease the levels of lead and phthalates in products intended for
children 12 years of age or younger and is enforced by the US Consumer
Product Safety Commission (CPSC).   This legislation was misinterpreted
by the CPSC to include books, which could have a vast and negative
impact on libraries and kids' access to books.  In February, the CPSC
extended the deadline until 2010 for when schools, libraries, stores,
etc. have to meet compliance.  The goal of ALA is to get books exempted
completely from the legislation before 2010, because if the law goes
into effect then schools, libraries, etc. will need to either 1) have
all of their books tested for lead and produce proof they are lead-free
or 2) prohibit access to the books to children 12 years old or under.
As you can imagine, this testing is too costly and time consuming for
schools and libraries, and having to bar children from libraries is
unthinkable.

 

That is why U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.) recently introduced
legislation to amend the CPSIA to exempt books and would ensure that
children can continue to have access to libraries and their safe,
educational and entertaining reading materials.  Rep. Fortenberry cannot
drive this legislation alone; he needs our help to ensure that his
colleagues understand books are indeed a safe product, and that our
children's access to them is threatened because of the CPSC's current
interpretation.  

 

Action Needed: In order to help ensure the passing of this legislation,
please call or write the office of your Representatives and ask them to
cosponsor H.R. 1692.  Contact info for your Representatives office is
here: http://capwiz.com/ala/home/ 

 

Time is of the essence; we have less than 11 months before the new
implementation date arrives, and it is critical that we convince as many
Members as possible to sign onto this legislation.  Without our
advocacy, this legislation will not move forward!

 

Background:

Currently, books are considered an unregulated product.  This means they
are generally considered safe and are not subject to the same rules and
regulations as toys and other objects on the U.S. market.  Under the new
interpretation of the CPSIA, books would be subject to the same testing
standards as children's toys and clothing.  

 

Very few recalls have actually involved books; in fact, the recalls
surrounding books have not happened because of the books themselves but
rather the toys that were attached to the books that were considered
potential choking hazards.  In spite of this information, the standard
hardcover and paperback books would be subject to the same testing
standards as children's toys under the new legislation.

 

Publishers have tested the components of books and found that the levels
of lead in children's books were far below the future legal requirements
at the full implementation of the regulations three years from now.
However, the advisory opinion from the CPSC says that not only must the
testing be done by one of their certified labs but that this legislation
also is retroactive, and every book currently in use must be tested.
This situation will become even more complicated because the CPSC has
not certified any labs to administer the lead testing.

 

At this point, the CPSC has issued a one-year stay in implementation -
meaning, the legislation will not be implemented until February 10,
2010.  However, the CPSC has indicated that they will not permanently
exclude books without some sort of clear Congressional action.

 

Talking points on H.R. 1692:

*             Though the CPSC has interpreted the act to include
ordinary books, Congress did not intend for them to be included. 

*             This legislation would exempt ordinary books only - books
that are published on paper of cardboard, printed by conventional
publishing methods, intended to be read, and lacking inherent play
value.

*             Testing has shown that finished books and their component
materials contain total lead content at levels considered
non-detectable.

*             The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has
determined that there is little risk to children from lead in ordinary
books. 

*             Libraries are grateful for this bill since it is proven
that reading books is critical to child development, and libraries would
like to continue to provide this service without the threat of
regulation that would unnecessary and expensive testing.

 

 

Beth Yoke, Executive Director

Young Adult Library Services Association

fastest growing division of ALA

50 E. Huron St. Chicago, IL 60611

1.800.545.2433 x4391

fax: 312.280.5276

Attend the Genre Galaxy Workshop in July!

http://tinyurl.com/GenreGalaxy  

byoke@ala.org <mailto:byoke@ala.org> 

 


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