Nmissi ([info]nmissi) wrote,
@ 2009-02-16 14:20:00
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In the spirit of the CPSIA, Have a list of books I love which are now legally unsaleable:
I didn't read a ton of kid's books as a child. I read what we had in the house, which was largely classic novels. The elementary school library, and the scholastic book club handouts, introduced me to all kinds of wonderful kiddie books. Just for the hell of it, I googled to see which of those I remember fondly have been out of print since 1985 or before. Under the new law, these books are now illegal to sell.

Confessions of a Toe Hanger by Christie Harris

Runaway Alice by Frances Salomon Murphy

The Bad Times of Irma Baumlein by Carole Ryrie Brink

Tee-bo the Talking Dog on the trail of the persnickety prowler and Tee-bo the talking dog and the great hort hunt, by Mary Whitcomb

The Resident Witch by Marion T. Place

This is just off the top of my head, a few books I loved in elementary and have either picked up, or been looking for new copies of, every since. This is to say nothing of my beloved Alfred Hitchcock and the three investigators, or Encyclopedia Brown- both of which are now "in print" again. But surely more copies were available at used bookstores around the country than are sitting on shelves at an Amazon warehouse. Those books will no longer find their way into the hands of children, and I find that tremendously sad.

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[info]cathyteach2
2009-02-16 08:10 pm UTC (link)
I find it absolutely intolerable! Is there any way to fight this thing? Is there an "old children's books" black market?

I feel like going to thrift shops and buying up all their old books. Except that maybe the Old Book Nazi's are going to come to my house and take them all away. What the hell is this all about? Why have I not heard about it until now?

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[info]nmissi
2009-02-16 08:18 pm UTC (link)
You can't go to the thrift shop and buy up the stock, because odds are, your thrift shop did the same as mine and got a dumpster days ago to throw everything away in. And no, it's not illegal to own them, just to sell them or give them away. Because there might be lead in the inks, or what have you. And some unsuspecting child might decide to eat the book.

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[info]slm76
2009-02-16 08:49 pm UTC (link)
Y'know, all I can think is how environmentally-UNfriendly all this is. I mean, if thrift stores like yours are having to trash these things, how green is that?

What a shame Obama didn't choose to rescind this bill.

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[info]julietvalcouer
2009-02-16 11:23 pm UTC (link)
Ah, but this is FOR THE CHILDREN. Democrats love to pass things that are FOR THE CHILDREN. And the sheeple love to support things that are FOR THE CHILDREN.

I think I'm going to go find some way to feed kids tomato sauce on old red Fiestaware just for spite. (But then I basically hate kids anyway.)

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[info]hazel75
2009-02-17 02:03 pm UTC (link)
Unfortunately, Obama can't rescind. Congress has to pass something amending or repealing the bill. This has to get greater media attention before anything will be done, I guess -- there's been lots on the blogosphere but not a lot in mainstream media, and Congress hasn't been shamed into doing anything yet. I wish I knew someone who worked at the NYT.

And, FYI, this was a bill that only one person voted against - Ron Paul. No one else in Congress showed any initiative.

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[info]sp23
2009-02-16 10:03 pm UTC (link)
A perfect example of a bill passed hurriedly through Congress without proper and careful thought because "something has to be done!!! OMG!WTF!BBQ!!!" Sounds frightfully familiar, yes?

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[info]ozma914
2009-02-16 10:23 pm UTC (link)
Alfred Hitchcock and the three investigators and Encyclopedia Brown are two of my three big series from when I was a kid, along with -- of course -- The Wizard of Oz.

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[info]nutmeg3
2009-02-17 02:55 am UTC (link)
This is so horrendously stupid! Like so many good ideas (ie: lead paint is bad for kids, so let's keep it away from them), this one has gone mental.

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[info]hazel75
2009-02-17 01:59 pm UTC (link)
If (and this is a big if) books "need" to be covered by the act, why in the heck aren't they just covered for the crowd that sticks them in their mouths? I thought with lead (which is the supposed danger with books) ingestion was the problem. Well, how many 11 years olds are eating books? Frankly, how many kids above the age of 3 are sticking books in their mouths.

Congress has a lot to answer for. I've been trying to figure out if I know anybody who works for a senator or representative to see if I can make this a bee in SOMEONE's bonnet.

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[info]jawajames
2009-02-17 11:22 pm UTC (link)
so i didn't know what the CPSIA was until i saw your post, and looked it up, and the whole can't-resell-kids-books thing is, according to snopes, utterly false:

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/pending/cpsia.asp

thrift stores can sell used items, without having to test or certify them - they just have to use their best judgment and not KNOWINGLY sell an item that violates the law. they know that kids books printed after 1985 are automatically safe, but books published before that are 'questionable', and so they can use their best judgment.

and old books that are being sold as collectibles are safe - since the intended target is not kids. i'd argue that if a store asks the buyer who the intended recipient of the book is, and that recipient is not a small child, the book is being sold as a collectible ;)

http://www.cpsc.gov/ABOUT/Cpsia/smbus/retailers.html

so thrift stores would only need to trash stuff they knew to exceed the legal limits and it would only be bought for children.

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[info]nmissi
2009-02-18 12:47 am UTC (link)
Snopes is wrong here. Check this link: http://overlawyered.com/2009/02/snopes-and-cpsia/

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[info]nmissi
2009-02-18 12:49 am UTC (link)
Also, ex-library books are not considered collectible items under the law, even if they are valuable. I have an exlibrary copy of the Lost Queen of Egypt worth a couple hundred dollars- if I tried to sell it, under the descriptions given by the CPSIA I would be in violation of the law.

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[info]anirt
2009-02-20 12:42 pm UTC (link)
It doesn't matter if Snopes is right or wrong if thrift stores don't know what's right of wrong and think that they can't sell books and trash them leading to lost books for generations.

That this isn't clear to retailers and that this is leading to books in the landfill is a travesty.

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[info]jawajames
2009-02-20 05:00 pm UTC (link)
well hopefully the guidelines on the CPSC site give enough guidance... it isn't terribly clear, but it should give some leeway. but i can see a lot of panicky stores deciding better safe than sorry.

what would be cool would be to set up a database of books that anyone can access - if one company tests a particular book, they can upload their results. after several different companies test that book, and it is clear, perhaps all copies of that book can be declared officially safe to sell.

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[info]zotel
2009-02-17 11:31 pm UTC (link)
I read the links above, and it still looks like they'll throw your ass in jail if they feel like it - if your judgment and theirs doesn't sync up, off to the slammer for you...

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