Kids ARE allowed in Libraries after Feb 10th, BUT …

That collective sigh of relief you heard is from Libraries across the U.S. See:

http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6633893.html?rssid=192

While most books may be presumed safe for now, note that Libraries are still on the hook for kid books that contain plastic softeners or lead.  Thus, all kid books that may contain softeners or lead should be pulled immediately.  Electronics commonly uses solder that contains lead.  All Kid books that play music, talk, make sounds, or have flashing lights should be pulled.

In the plumbing world, it was decided  a while back that lead should no longer be allowed in contact with drinking water.  Copper pipes are joined by soldering.  The solder was about 60% lead.  The reason lead was originally used is because it created a solder with a low melting point close to eutectic.  To create a lead free solder, the lead was mostly replaced with silver.  To handle the higher temperatures needed for the silver solder, instead of using propane in torches, MAP gas is usually needed now.  I remember back in vacuum tube days that silver solder was used in the electronics of Tektronix Oscilloscopes.  The electronic chips of today can be degraded by heat, so higher temperature soldering makes manufacuring  with them more difficult and expensive.  The bottom line is also that silver is a lot more expensive than lead.

With that in mind, acquisition of any kid book with electronics from now on had better include safety certifications that the book meets the present and future standards for lead in  the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008. 

 Eventually, ALA will promulgate some official standards, and advise what to do with the pulled books, but your liability starts February 10th.

———————————————————————————————————–

**Update** 2009 Feb 14  Kid books printed with lead ink before 1985 are in danger of violating the law.   See article:

http://www.city-journal.org/2009/eon0212wo.html