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Explores the history of quality management, commenting on the work of many of the quality “gurus”. Considers the relationship between quality management and the management science of operational research.

THE great advantage the contemporary librarian enjoys is the opportunity of meeting his fellows at so many library assemblies. It might almost be wondered whether, in such opulence, the one great Conference in September is really necessary: a wonder that is immediately modified by the thought that no other meeting can give a representation of what the profession as a whole is doing or hoping to do; the many parts of the whole come together briefly then. It is the more necessary that the Conference makes this annual revelation, and does it manifestly. This is “much easier said than done”. Looking back on the almost complete disregard by the Press of the Folkestone meeting, in spite of our own statement that we had sought publicity for at least half a century in vain, we are compelled to think that renewed efforts should be made to attract the newspapers, radio and T.V. in the service of libraries. We are assuming that such notoriety is desirable, an assumption which some deny. If it is, our programmes must be ready sooner, advance matter of papers should be in the hands of editors before they are read, paragraphs for the B.B.C. and other public address organizations should be prepared and distributed even longer, before the newspapers get them. All this, however, must be based upon the proceedings themselves which, as we have affirmed often, should with a few inspirational exceptions be based upon the programme of service every type of library gives to the community.

As a site of contestation among job seekers, workers, and managers, the bureaucratic workplace both reproduces and erodes occupational race segregation and racial status hierarchies. Much sociological research has examined the reproduction of racial inequality at work; however, little research has examined how desegregationist forces, including civil rights movement values, enter and permeate bureaucratic workplaces into the broader polity. Our purpose in this chapter is to introduce and typologize what we refer to as “occupational activism,” defined as socially transformative individual and collective action that is conducted and realized through an occupational role or occupational community. We empirically induce and present a typology from our study of the half-century-long, post-mobilization occupational careers of over 60 veterans of the nonviolent Nashville civil rights movement of the early 1960s. The fourfold typology of occupational activism is framed in the “new” sociology of work, which emphasizes the role of worker agency and activism in determining worker life chances, and in the “varieties of activism” perspective, which treats the typology as a coherent regime of activist roles in the dialogical diffusion of civil rights movement values into, within, and out of workplaces. We conclude with a research agenda on how bureaucratic workplaces nurture and stymie occupational activism as a racially desegregationist force at work and in the broader polity.

History-based trade books have an important and expanding role in various curricula. Contemporary education initiatives urge English and language arts educators to spend half their time on non-fiction and history and social studies teachers to include diverse sources starting in the early grades. Diverse professional organizations annually make financial commitments to promote new trade books. Research indicates misrepresentations abound in history-based trade books, yet few empirical studies have been completed. The purpose of this paper is to research examine the historical representation of Abraham Lincoln, arguably the most consequential nineteenth-century American.

Data samples included trade books intended for early grades and middle grades students. These grade ranges were selected because these students have the least prior knowledge and are perhaps most dependent on the text. Qualitative content analysis research methods were employed.

Misrepresentations emerged regarding Lincoln’s poverty, actions, motivations for actions, and implications of his actions as seemingly necessary historical content was minimized, vaguely included, or omitted. Findings are juxtaposed across and between selected grade ranges.

Discussion focused on the significance of findings for teachers and researchers. Teachers are guided to supplement trade books with primary sources to position students to distinguish historical misrepresentations.

This research builds on previous scholarship on Lincoln-based trade books by expanding grade range, data samples and research questions.

The most obvious symptom of the most obvious trend in the building of new libraries is the fact that, as yet, no spade has entered the ground of the site on Euston Road, London, upon which the new building for the British Library Reference Division has to be erected. Some twenty years of continued negotiation and discussion finally resulted in the choice of this site. The UK and much more of the world awaits with anticipation what could and should be the major building library of the twentieth century. The planning and design of a library building, however large or small, is, relatively speaking, a major operation, and deserves time, care and patience if the best results are to be produced.

AN ESTEEMED correspondent points out that there are about two dozen library magazines of all sorts and sizes in circulation, whereas when he started his career there were no more than three. Our correspondent has himself had considerable editorial experience, and it may be that he is still in harness in that regard. One of his earliest efforts was in running the magazine of the old Library Assistants' Association, and it is not likely that that magazine has ever reached the same heights of excellence as it attained in his day. He observes that there are far too many library magazines now in circulation. We agree.