Old copies of Anne of Green Gables in danger

The New Book Banning: Children’s books burn, courtesy of the federal government by Walter Olson, City Journal, February 12, 2009.

This article in City Journal explains the consequences of the new Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA), which passed in the United States Congress. The law aimed to regulate hazards in products for children, but may have unintended consequences on beloved books like Anne of Green Gables. Among other products, the government has recommended that children’s books published before 1985 no longer be considered safe because of the possible lead content in printing inks. In 1985, the used of lead-based inks in children’s books was outlawed. In many cases, books printed pre-1985 will be unlawful to sell or distribute, which affects libraries, used books sellers and thrift stores. Olsen mentions Anne in his discussion of the problems libraries face, “A further question is what to do about public libraries, which daily expose children under 12 to pre-1985 editions of Anne of Green Gables, Beatrix Potter, Baden-Powell’s scouting guides, and other deadly hazards”. Check out this interesting article to learn more.