A dramatic gesture

The Consumer Product Safety Act, despite a deadline delay, is still very much in the news, as evidenced by the following:



Library Director Barbara Hegr holds a sheet covering about 1,000 books removed from the shelves of the children’s library of the Morton James Public Library in Nebraska. Photo by Dan Swanson, used under a non-commercial Creative Commons licence.

Librarian quarantines books

The Act limits access to materials for children under twelve to protect them from items containing or suspected of containing lead. According to the article, although the Consumer Product Safety Commission suspended the deadline for one year, they also said that penalties would not be imposed for libraries distributing 'ordinary children’s books printed after 1985'. So the books under the sheets are this library's pre-1985 copyright books, quarantined until it can be determined when they were actually printed.

For another take on things, though, read Stop! New law doesn't require book burning (but also be sure to read the comments for stories of what libraries and thrift shops are doing in these people's hometowns)--thanks to Steven of Library Stuff for the link.

It should be interesting to see what other librarians are doing over the next few months, or whether the law will be revisited with an exemption for libraries. I think we agree that testing library collections themselves for lead is cost-prohibitive and unwieldy. It's probably not much better for the publishers.

Although I am a medical librarian and normally wouldn't be affected, I also deal with an early literacy project that involves buying new books from a publisher (fortunately only one), but also we get donations of gently used books (and toys, and all other sorts of things--we're a children's hospital, after all). This may be an issue. I'd hate to think we weren't able to use donations because of a slim chance of lead contamination in a book. The children I serve with the literacy project are 6 months to five years old, too, so firmly in this age group and at the highest risk for lead-related complications.

I hope this gets resolved in a way that can protect children without preventing them from learning. Some of the books we get through donation are out of print and may become childhood favourites.

Thanks to Bibliofuture of LISNews.org for the link to the story on quarantining books.

Sweeping legislation has its drawbacks

Congress bans kids from libraries?:
New safety law may prohibit children under 12 from libraries – or make many books illegal

Would Lead Ban Threaten Kids’ Access to Libraries? Probably Not.

Last week librarians were panicking over their books and the regulation of lead in items meant for children 12 and younger that is set to go into effect next month. Publishers are scrambling to get their products tested. Consignment shops were also up in arms, I saw in our local paper, although they apparently got a reprieve.

This sounds like one more law that is well-meant but will be a logistics nightmare, and very expensive in a crunched financial climate.