[Libs-Or] Fwd: Please Call the Consumer Product Safety Commission

[Diedre Conkling]

You got a message from Jim Scheppke earlier today about the CPSC meeting.
He sent you the link to the piece on "District Dispatch" from the Washington
office, http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=1567.  The message gives
you a link to one place where you can send a message to the CPSC.  Below is
information on who to call and the message to give.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Kristin K. Murphy <kmurphy at alawash.org>
Date: Thu, Jan 22, 2009 at 6:28 PM
Subject: Dear Diedre, Please Call the Consumer Product Safety Commission
To: Diedre Conkling <diedrec at charter.net>


   January 22, 2009

Dear Diedre,

A public meeting was held January 22, and Cheryl Falvey, General Counsel for
the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), stated that a decision should
be made by the first week of February regarding libraries.  She advised
libraries not to take any action at this time, and we are hopeful that the
Commission's decision will exempt libraries.

Even with her assurances, we must let the CPSC know how important an issue
this is to libraries.  Please call the Acting Commissioner, Nancy Nord, at
(301) 504-7923. When you call this number, wait for the automated directory
to give you directions to reach Nancy Nord's office. Explain to the
Commission that it is simply impossible for libraries to remove all
children's books from the shelves and/or ban children under 12 from the
library and still provide the level of service that is needed.

As always, thank you for all that you do.  The only way we will be
successful in ensuring that children will have access to safe books is with
a strong grassroots effort.  Your comments to the CPSC need to be submitted
as soon as possible, so please tell all your friends and family – we need as
many people as possible to communicate that this oversight could have
lasting ramifications on our children and our communities.

   - The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 has been
   interpreted to include books as a product that must be tested for lead.
   While it is understandable that the CPSC must 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
   either 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.

Thank you for your continued support of libraries!

Sincerely,

Kristin Murphy
Government Relations Specialist
American Library Association - Washington Office
1615 New Hampshire Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20009-2520
Phone Number: 202.628.8410
Fax: 202.628.8419
kmurphy at alawash.org

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-- 
Diedre Conkling
diedre08 at gmail.com
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