Book 'Em Danno: The CPSIA Will Bar Under 12s From Libraries

Libraries are a mainstay of Jones family life. We love our local libraries and pay for a statewide library card. We even purchase our homes based on library proximity.

Needless to say, my heart nearly stopped over a new "wrinkle" created by the current wording of the soon-to-be-implemented Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA).

According to the American Library Association, the CPSIA law, in its current form would require lead testing on all existing library books before they could be issued to (or possibly touched by) anyone under 12. The immediate effects are dire for families who use libraries:

Under the current opinion issued by the General Counsel of the CPSC, the law would apply to books for children under the age of 12; therefore, public, school, academic and museum libraries would be required to either remove all their children’s books or ban all children under 12 from visiting the facilities as of February 10.

Read the rest of the ALA's dispatch on the CPSIA, and then pick up a phone and call Consumer Product Safety Commissioner Nancy Nord [(301) 504-7901], and your Representatives before your library sets up ropes and starts carding everyone under 12.

Thanks for the information, Julie!