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CPSC General Council Response

Dear HBI/LBI Members:

The latest ALA Press Release on this matter, posted January 26, 2009, can be found at:
http://www.ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/news/pressreleases2009/january2009/wocpsc.cfm.

The correct link to the comments submitted is:
http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/ala_comments.pdf.

Following is an excerpt from the press release:

“Under the CPSIA, which was passed by Congress in August, children’s products are required to undergo stringent testing for lead and phthalates. Currently, the General Counsel of the CPSC  is interpreting the law  to  apply to ordinary, paper-based books for children  12  years of age or younger, so that all such books and product would have to be tested for lead content.  Therefore, public, school, academic and museum libraries would be required either to remove all their children’s books or ban all children under 12 from visiting the facilities as of February 10.

The ALA’s comments explain that the new CPSIA standards applicable to children’s products should not apply to library books on library shelves prior to February 10.  Since a library’s books are neither “produced” nor “distributed” by the library, the law should not apply to library books.  At this point, however, the CPSC has indicated that the law will apply to libraries.“

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