The Washington Office of ALA has a District Dispatch that was issued Jan 9, 2009 titled Children’s Books and the CPSIA – STANDBY – Situation “Fluid”
Excerpt: Within the last few days, ALA and others in the “book” community (other librarians, publishers, teachers, booksellers, etc.) became extremely concerned after seeing that the CPSC intended to include books in the definition of “products to children” that would need to be certified as safe. This concern was heightened by a letter from the General Counsel of the CPSC – a letter that states that books are not exempt from the law.
However, ALA has been in discussion with attorneys, other associations and the sponsors of the original bill. Our analysis is that neither the law nor the legislative history indicates any Congressional intention to include books and even textbooks in the law.
At the ALA Washington Office
At the ALA Washington Office website they mention a letter they sent to congress about the CPSIA.
The American Library Association (ALA) released a letter to Congress yesterday, urging members to take action against a recent opinion ruling released from the General Counsel of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) that would require public, school, academic and museum libraries to either remove all their books or ban all children under 12 from visiting the facilities, beginning on February 10.
You can see the letter here.
First thing to note about the ALA letter. It is dated Dec 8, 2009. I assume they meant Dec 8, 2008.
Excerpt from ALA letter: However, the General Counsel of the Consumer Product Safety Commission has interpreted this law to include children’s books and sent an opinion to the Association of American Publishers informing them that all books designed or intended for children under the age of 12 need to be tested. And she has made this opinion retroactive, covering all books currently on our shelves.
Comment: I wish ALA would give provide a copy of the opinion letter (Letter from General Counsel of the Consumer Product Safety Commission) on their website. My gut instinct is that the letter does not say what they claim it says.
I’m waiting for an e-mail back from CPSC
Their press officer said they just took action clarifying things. I caught them late on a Friday. I may get such in my inbox Monday sometime if I am lucky.
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Stephen Michael Kellat, Host, LISTen
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