A Law with No Consequences?
Posted by Valerie on February 11, 2009
Fifteen years ago, I picked up my first older living books! The beautiful illustrations and lovely text captured my heart. I wanted the best for my children–and good literature is just that. Some of the best books are out-of-print, or at least, out-of-print in hardcover.
No modern trashy paperbacks here–but plenty of solid, clean, attractive, clothbound books with sewn bindings and bright, beautifully vivid illustrations.
Yeah, there’s a bit of lead here and there, but it’s worth it to me for the incredible brilliance and detail, just like a microscope is worth it for discovering hidden detail. Besides, my kids don’t eat books; they just read them.
Now, you say, “Valerie, why are you so worked up about CPSIA? Your company is small, and the CPSC never bothers small companies. You’ll just fly under the radar, business as usual. They can’t enforce this, nothing will change, no one will be hurt, and life will go on as it always has.”
First, the CPSC certainly has not restricted its past enforcement to big well-known companies. Beyond that, do you really believe that this isn’t hurting anyone? Once a particular vintage book is thrown into the landfill, it cannot be recovered. Our history is being destroyed as you read this.
Let’s hear from some people.
Sherry
Semicolon
“My daughter works in a used bookstore. TODAY they pulled all the books from the children’s section that had any kind of metal or plastic or toy-like attachment, spiral bindings, balls or things attached, board books, anything that might be targeted under this law, and they very quietly trashed them all. I say ‘very quietly’ because the bookstore had a meeting with employees and told them to be careful not to start a panic. If anyone asked what they were doing they were told to say that they were ‘rearranging their inventory.’ No one was allowed to tell anyone about the new law, and no one was allowed to take any of the doomed-for-destruction books home or give them away.”
Kristian Kriner
KMSU News
“Toy stores across America are checking their products to make sure they don’t contain dangerous amounts of lead…. The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act is a new federal law that prevents toy stores from selling toys that contain dangerous amounts of lead. Now, toy stores and thrift stores are checking toys like plastic bracelets, tricycles and even books for lead content. If the amount of lead exceeds the limit, then [they] have to be thrown away.”
From Kathy
“I removed all pre 1985 children’s book from the shelves Tues. I do not want to commit a crime, I want to obey the laws but I just wonder how many children’s books no longer in print will disappear forever. First editions illustrated by Tasha Tudor, the wonderful older Golden books no longer in print, the list goes on and on. Will all the books go underground? It is a very sad day for children and they do not even understand what is happening. What’s next…ban children from the library? …I did not get lead poisoning from a book. We as book sellers and book lovers must fight to keep all books in the hands of children, after all they are the future rulers of the world.
Birdylegs
at Etsy.com
“I know others have said it before, but there are so many out-of-print books that are not…collectibles…. I’m not about to take away my daughter’s favorite book, which was published in 1937.”
Cindy V. Culp
Waco Tribune-Herald
“The selection of children’s items at some Waco-area secondhand stores will be slimmer starting today…. [T]here is concern about the…ink used in books printed before 1985…. Heart of Texas Goodwill Industries…is removing all questionable clothing items and toys from its local thrift stores…. A few more expensive items are being kept in storage in hopes that the commission eventually will clear them for sale…. [C]urtailing the sale of children’s items could affect the charity’s profits, which are used to provide job training for people with disabilities….
“Mission Waco…has decided to…stop giving…donated toys [to low income children who need them].”
DeputyHeadmistress
at Etsy.com
“I wouldn’t disagree with somebody else’s decision to go ahead and sell oop pre-1985 books as vintage…. I don’t feel like I can take that chance, and I’m taking my pre 1985 childrens’ books off of Amazon….”
From Dawn B.
“One of our local charity thrift store chains around here (in SE Va) CHKD, threw in the dumpster all the childrens related items and won’t allow anyone to go near the dumpster. It was only one [store], while all the others have boxed up the items and have them waiting in the store rooms for word as what they are supposed to do with them. It just made me sick that this has happened. This is the major thrift store chain in our area that raises money for the Children’s Hospital of the Kings Daughter (they do surgeries for kids whose families don’t have money or insurance).”
From Kate Perry
Rochester Democrat & Chronicle
“The new guidelines specifically list items and materials that are OK to sell including…most books printed after 1985…. [Goodwill Industries of Rochester, NY] began weeding through inventories Friday with the goal of meeting the new guidelines….
Volunteers of America of Western New York…[were] forced…to discard many items that VOA officials think may have been safe for kids….
[Some] Rochester Area Consignment Shops…have stopped selling kids’ clothes….”
Opalessence
At Etsy.com
“I just came back from my local thrift store with tears in my eyes! I watched as boxes and boxes of childrens books were thrown into the garbage! Today was the deadline and I just cant believe it! Every book they had on the shelves peior to 1985 was destroyed….I [saw] at least 10 Little Golden books in the pile along with Disney.”
Jenny Nowatzke
KPTM TV, Omaha, NE
“If you browse through the racks of children’s clothing at area Goodwill stores, you’ll notice half the supply is gone…. The new limit affects every single thrift store across the nation. If they’re caught purposely selling a toy, piece of children’s clothing, or book printed before 1985 containing lead, they could face a $100,000 fine….
“Goodwill is asking that you stay away from donating any children’s clothing with metal snaps on them - because they won’t be allowed to put them on store shelves….
“In order to crack down on online sites such as Craigslist and Ebay, the CPSC says, they are currently working with an internet surveillance team to watch over the online marketplaces.”
[No one affected? Where will low-income families buy kids' blue jeans in Omaha, now?]
Your Way Embroidery
at Etsy.com
“This is a horrible, horrible thing. I will keep my vintage books, and try to buy them black market if I have to. My child enjoys the vintage books, even more than the mass produced stuff printed today.
“This is a back door way to literally erase history.”
From Gina
“I live in Gloucester,VA and yesterday I went to the local CHKD thrift store, and they were boxing all children’s products to throw away. I talked with the cashier and he told me that they cannot sell any of the stuff with buttons, shoestrings, zippers etc. There was also a note on the counter that said they would no longer be accepting donations of these items…. I, too,am an avid thrift store shopper and have bought many, many books from them. Not to mention clothing.”
Shannon75
at Etsy.com
“…a lot of my favorite books that I read as a child have not been reprinted since the 1960’s. I’d better start looking for them online now while there is still time. It’s a shame how so many things are being affected by this.”
CPSIA closes businesses, destroys opportunities, keeps warm and safe used clothing out of the hands of low income people, and puts precious and irreplaceable children’s books in landfills. It’s all for the children. What could be wrong with that?
Thrift stores, the day after said,
[...] removed from Goodwill stores in Louisiana, shelf-clearings and disruptions in Virginia, upstate New York and Waco, Texas. Tucson resaler Casa de los Ninos reports taking a $70,000 hit from inventory suddenly rendered [...]
Nancy Welliver said,
We are a used curriculum and book seller. We have removed 3,500 books from our website. Now we hear that books with staples, spiral bound, etc., regardless of the year printed may also have to be removed. According to the definition of an ordinary book by the Congressmen who wrote the bill, Waxman & Rush “that have no unusual components or materials beyond those of an ordinary book,” and only a page later as covering books “that have no painted, plastic or metal components.” http://www.forbes.com/2009/01/22/cpsia-waxman-cpsc-oped-cx_wo_0122olson.html Do we need to remove these as well?
What about the fact that until recently publishers did not put printing dates in books, only copyright dates. So a book that is copyrighted 1976 may have been printed in 1988 and therefore legal to sell, So how do we know which are printed before and which after 1985? So we have removed all book for children with copyright date 1985 and before.
Once again Congress has proved that it is out of touch with real world and those who live in it!!
Nancy
Children’s Classics Books Blog » The Bookroom » Blog Archive » A Law with No Consequences? said,
[...] Here is the original: The Bookroom » Blog Archive » A Law with No Consequences? [...]
Denise said,
Well I had breathed a sigh of relief till I read all these comments! Crud! What now? We can write to our representatives, but most of them seem to have their heads in the sand!
K. said,
We MUST call our representatives. Every day! And not just our representatives, but as many other representative as we can. This law must be revoked. This is definitely a “back door” to destroying history and right values. The Socialist Blitz has been at full throttle since January 20th, though it was moving rapidly even before.
We must keep it up and not let up until the law is revoked. When American citizens made their voices heard about the “immigration reform” bill, we defeated it. We can do this too. But we must not let up!
Call and ask for your representative(s) at the following numbers
House of Rep switchboard
1-202-225-3121
Senate switchboard
1-202-224-3121
I don’t think it will do any good to call the White House. But here’s the number just in case you want to give it a try. Tell them you want to see mr. B. Hussein Obama’s true birth certificate, while you’re at it. McCain had to show his before the election. Obama has spent millions of dollars to block the release of his, from the state of Hawaii, Kenya, and all the schools he ever attended.
White House switchboard
1-202-456-1414
White House Opinion Line
1-202-456-11111
Mirz said,
Well, I may sound like an alarmist, but truly this seems pretty calculated to me. Particularly the limited coverage this is getting in the press. Reporters are all over Nadya Suleman and her octuplets and how 8 babies will impact the economy, but you hear nothing how this “little law” will close businesses and essentially cut off affordable toys and clothings to the people who are struggling in this bad economy and faced with foreclosure. If they were to come in and take the books, people would protest. However, they come in, under the guise of “protecting our children” (who could argue with that) and take it all away.
And what is next? People who allow their children to have these books? Will the be able to be declared negligent parents? Will they be able to confiscate books from individuals and fine them? One step at a time, and it scares me to death.
Barb said,
Mirz, You have a great point! Maybe someone should tell Ms Suleman that she won’t be able to clothe her children from the local thrift nor be allowed to accept handmedowns from individuals. She will have to sign a contract with Carters! Those kids will have to work for their clothes until the thrifts can restock with compliant items. No bikes from garage sales–all brand new. No used toys.
I suppose her other option would be to get a big job on Wall Street to support her large family–oh yeah, those are also going the way of the dodo.
Sara Lizzy Timlin said,
STATUS REPORT ON CPSC CHILDREN’S BOOK LEAD BAN
Thank you for all the signatures accumulated so far! This issue is at a turning point for libraries, booksellers, and readers. We can make a difference if we really push now.
Our concern is at a very pressing moment in the U.S. House of Representatives. Last Monday, U.S. Representative Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb) sponsored H.R. 1692 which granted an exception for children’s books given that they have no inherent play value for young children and no harm had been demonstrated (my paraphrasing). According to my limited understanding, the bill has been “referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce”, but lacks sufficient co-sponsors to advance in the Committee.
Please act swiftly on this issue by phoning or emailing your Representative in the U.S. Congress and asking them to support H.R. 1692. We cannot delay since some libraries and stores around the country are clearing their shelves while we debate.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
1) Sign the petition: http://www.PetitionOnline.com/savebook/petition.html
2) PLEASE EMAIL OR PHONE YOUR REPRESENTATIVE IN THE U.S. CONGRESS ASAP and ask them to support H.R. 1692 to amend the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act to exempt ordinary books from the lead limit.
Visit http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml for phone and email information.
3) And most importantly: FORWARD this email to anyone you know! IF WE DON’T, THIS PETITION WILL NOT CONVINCE THOSE IN POWER!
Sincerely,
Sara Lizzy Timlin (Just a reader!)
saralizzy@gmail.com
H.R.1692
Title: To amend the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act to exempt ordinary books from the lead limit in such Act.
Sponsor: Rep Fortenberry, Jeff [NE-1] (introduced 3/24/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Latest Major Action: 3/24/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
—–Original Message—–
Sent: Sunday, March 29, 2009 5:28 PM
Hi, Readers!
If you’re worried about the upcoming ban on books printed before 1985, please sign my petition now! I am a strong environmentalist, but feel that to eliminate all these books due to lead poisoning would be a tragedy. Besides, all that lead would just end up in landfills and in the
water supply.
I just set up this website to create an online petition, and if you agree with me please take a look.
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/savebook/petition.html
If you need more information, this article in the Washington Post just came out.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp- dyn/content/article/2009/03/23/AR2009032301764.html
Please forward this message to absolutely everyone you know!
I give permission in advance for this to go to listserves as well.
Sara Lizzy
Maryland, USA
Shopfloor » Blog Archive » CPSIA Update: D.C. TV Reports: Books! Danger! Lead! Books! said,
[...] drafting the legislation, Congress didn’t anticipate that used bookstores and libraries would destroy pre-1985 children’s books because of high lead content (high by CPSIA standards). Destroyed books? Awful! Pretty good story, [...]
Add A Comment