Now that the world has woken up to this CPSIA nonsense, it’s heartening to see that giants like the American Library Association are getting involved. Here’s their most recent bulletin about the matter where they caution a “wait and see” approach.

The ALA characterizes the situation as highly fluid, which I agree with, but I’m not sure if I can afford to take a “wait and see” approach. After the 15th I can no longer sell my books on Amazon unless I attest my books have no lead in them, and after Feb. 10 I can’t legally sell my books anywhere without a certificate on file.

What’s a d.i.y. publisher like myself to do?

I have a lab who will test my books: ATS Labs in Georgia has been in touch and has quoted me a price of $150/book (as long as they don’t test positive for lead in the initial XRF scan…which, by the way, they said the CPSC said is NOT sufficient for testing, unlike the CPSIA FAQ states is okay for now and which well-informed folk who themselves can do the XRF tests have publicized.) ATS’ lab manager and all the other people I’ve dealt with their have been very kind and informative and have answered all my questions even though I’m a small potatoes publisher and I’m inclined to go forward with it…except that $300 for my 2 books is $300 too much if books are going to be exempt. But if they’re not, this lab can take up to 12 days to get me the results. And how should I answer the Amazon requirement? Should I just lie, or rather, be confident (as the most recent CPSIA memo in regards to consignment and re-sellers suggests) that my books don’t contain lead? Books don’t contain lead, so I am confident, but am I comfortable saying that I have a certificate of conformity on file…when I don’t?

So what should I do? What are you going to do? Wait? And See?