This morning's PW Daily finally gave the answer to the question children's book publishers have been waiting for since August. On Friday the Consumer Products Safety Commission gave its final ruling on book publishers and the Consumer Product Safety Information Act, an act that would potentially render thousands of books unsaleable because of its strict lead testing requirements.
Fortunately for publishers, the CPSC decided that "ordinary" books will be exempt from the stricter testing requirements, given that they were published after 1985. According to the CPSC, an "ordinary" book is one that is ink-on-paper or ink-on-board. As of this most recent ruling, it will only be publishers of "special" books that involve plastics or other novelties who will need to prove their books' safety before sale.
This is wonderful news for publishers considering three weeks ago they were wondering if they were going to have entire warehouses of books that were unsaleable, but I can't help but ask the CPSC: why 1985?
Now instead of delving into the issues for publishers, we can attempt to answer all kinds of questions about the law's impact on the used bookseller...will used bookstores be a thing of the past in the near future?
Monday, February 9, 2009
Friday, February 6, 2009
Ooligan Press Commemorates Oregon's 150th Birthday With Upcoming Release of Oregon at Work: 1859-2009
On April 8, Ooligan Press will celebrate the release of an exciting new book commemorating Oregon's sesquicentennial (150th birthday). Written by Tom Fuller and Art Ayer, both Oregon Employment Department employees, Oregon at Work: 1859-2009 explores the role that work has played in shaping the state's history. The book is a partner project of the Oregon 150 Commission and features a foreword by Oregon governor Ted Kulongoski.
Fuller and Ayer tell Oregon's work and economic history through the stories, photographs, memories, and momentos of real Oregonians. Some of the stories have been passed down from generation to generation and begin with Oregon's statehood in 1859. Other stories are more recent, highlighting Oregon's growth from farming, mining, and logging country to include high tech businesses, earning parts of the state the nickname of Silicon Forest.
For more information on Oregon at Work: 1859-2009, other Ooligan Press titles, and Ooligan Press Oregon 150 events, please visit http://ooligan.pdx.edu
Fuller and Ayer tell Oregon's work and economic history through the stories, photographs, memories, and momentos of real Oregonians. Some of the stories have been passed down from generation to generation and begin with Oregon's statehood in 1859. Other stories are more recent, highlighting Oregon's growth from farming, mining, and logging country to include high tech businesses, earning parts of the state the nickname of Silicon Forest.
For more information on Oregon at Work: 1859-2009, other Ooligan Press titles, and Ooligan Press Oregon 150 events, please visit http://ooligan.pdx.edu
Sunday, February 1, 2009
CPSIA Update
Finally, a bit of good news for the publishing industry!
Remember my post from two weeks ago detailing the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act and its potential impact on publishers?
On Friday, the Consumer Product Safety Commission approved a one-year delay to the testing requirements that threatened to render warehouses of books useless.
According to a PW article announcing the delay, all items on store shelves will need to be "safe" as of the February 10 deadline, but proof of third-party testing will not be required until next year and, at that time, may or may not include all books.
The question of requirement has still not been answered for publishing companies, but at least pallets of books will not be tossed to the dumpster come February 10. It's a small victory, and an uncertain one, but it's one that the publishing industry desperately needed amidst news of slow sales, layoffs, and closures.
Now I just hope the CPSC gets their act together sooner rather than later so we aren't faced with the same questions and dilemmas next January, and so that publishers can get forget thinking about potential testing costs and can get back to doing what they do best: publishing safe books for kids.
Remember my post from two weeks ago detailing the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act and its potential impact on publishers?
On Friday, the Consumer Product Safety Commission approved a one-year delay to the testing requirements that threatened to render warehouses of books useless.
According to a PW article announcing the delay, all items on store shelves will need to be "safe" as of the February 10 deadline, but proof of third-party testing will not be required until next year and, at that time, may or may not include all books.
The question of requirement has still not been answered for publishing companies, but at least pallets of books will not be tossed to the dumpster come February 10. It's a small victory, and an uncertain one, but it's one that the publishing industry desperately needed amidst news of slow sales, layoffs, and closures.
Now I just hope the CPSC gets their act together sooner rather than later so we aren't faced with the same questions and dilemmas next January, and so that publishers can get forget thinking about potential testing costs and can get back to doing what they do best: publishing safe books for kids.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
