[CALIBK12] CPSIA - call or write today!

[Joan McCall]

For some reason, the rest of Connie's message didn't copy over. The  
link for posting your letter to General Counsel Falvey is very easy to  
use. I wrote my note ahead of time and just pasted it in the box. Here  
is my version:

Sent to http://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/newleg.aspx  on Jan. 31, 2009

  Dear General Counsel Falvey: It has come to my attention that the  
Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 has been interpreted  
to include books as a product that must be tested for lead.  This  
interpretation of the law will require us to close our very busy  
middle school library in the middle of the school year. Many of our  
students have no access to books at home - we are their only source.  
Our high circulation rates reflect the value of the service our  
library offers to our 1300 students. Students have recently embarked  
on their annual research projects and we are their only source of  
quality print material. It is my understanding that publishers have  
already tested the book components and found that the lead levels are  
lower than the regulations require three years from now.   
Additionally, all book recalls in the last two decades have been  
because of toys attached to the books that posed a choking hazard, not  
the books themselves. Please allow children and families to continue  
accessing critical materials by either exempting books from the  
Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008, accepting the  
component tests that have already been done, or exempting all books  
currently in school and public libraries. In the current economic  
climate, closing libraries to our children would be a drastic and  
unnecessary step. Let common sense prevail. Sincerely, Joan McCall


On Jan 28, 2009, at 7:27 PM, Connie Williams wrote:

> Dear General Counsel Falvey:
> It has come to my attention that the Consumer Product Safety  
> Improvement Act of 2008 has been interpreted to include books as a  
> product that must be tested for lead.  While I can understand the  
> need to protect children from toxic materials, publishers have  
> already tested the book components and found that the lead levels  
> are lower than the regulations require three years from now.   
> Additionally, all book recalls in the last two decades have been  
> because of toys attached to the books that posed a choking hazard,  
> not the books themselves.
> Making these testing regulations retroactive would require both  
> school and public libraries to take drastic steps to come into  
> compliance.  They would either they would have to ban children from  
> their libraries or pull every book intended for children under the  
> age of 12 from their bookshelves at the time children are fostering  
> a lifelong love of learning and reading.
> In order to allow children and families to continue accessing  
> critical library materials, please either exempt books from the  
> Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008, accept the  
> component tests that have already been done, or exempt all books  
> currently in school and public libraries.  This will ensure that our  
> children continue to have access to safe and educational library  
> materials.
> Sincerely,
> YOUR NAME

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