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A number of models of consumer behaviour, or of the influences on consumer behaviour, imply non‐linearity and non‐reversibility. These include the order winning/qualifying criteria model from manufacturing strategy, and the satisfier/dissatisfier and zone of tolerance models from the field of service quality. This paper demonstrates that these models share a commonality with the physical sciences’ hysteresis model, and that hysteresis can be used as a valid and informative model of a number of aspects of consumer behaviour. The application of this pre‐existing model unifies a number of previously disparate and even contradictory elements and suggests a common pattern of behaviour over a wide range of activities. The implications of this for operations strategy, service quality and further research are discussed.

There are many different views and opinions held about the value of training. Some people, of course, reach the top without any formal training whatsoever and expect others to do the same. This is all well and good if, presumably, you are able to train yourself. Most need the support of formally organized training courses or continuous learning, working on the assumption that there are always things to learn. It does not matter how old or experienced you are, there will always be a gap in your knowledge that requires attention. Beware the people who know it all as they will be the ones who have the blind spots and just cannot see trouble ahead. If these people are at the top of the organization and just happened to be in the right place at the right time, which could happen if an organization has been particluarly successful, then this could have disastrous consequences on the business. Business means change, and if you cannot cope or are not prepared to accept or adapt to this change, the end result is inevitable.

Social and political influences are increasing the importance of quality in the higher education (HE) sector as in other areas of public service. Quality is an elusive concept in most services, but it is particularly so in public service with the wide range of customers and stakeholders involved. Describes an exercise to measure perceived quality with two distinct customer groups, academic and technical staff and students, within the context of a university faculty office using a questionnaire developed from the SERVQUAL instrument. In common with other researchers, it is found that SERVQUAL does not give a good fit to the situation, and that expectation contributes nothing to the predictive value of the data. Significant differences in the factors determining perceived quality are found to exist between internal and external customers. It is suggested that the differences arise from the degree of dependence and frequency/length of contact between the service and the customer, and that this might be a more general phenomenon related not only to the internal/external divide, but to other customer characteristics in both public and private sectors.

Defining “quality” can be confusing. There are numerous possible interpretations, especially in the service sector. Despite this, quality is seen as a major factor in customer acquisition and retention. Describes a model of service quality based around operational issues, directly relevant to issues of staff skills and training; and based on three dimensions of outcome/process, hard/soft and objective/subjective, giving a total of eight service types. Developed from survey data and in‐depth interviews with staff and customers carried out within retail banking, it is suggested that the operations orientation makes it universally acceptable. Concludes that the benefits to the organization from a correct match between staff skills and customer expectations include a higher and more consistent perceived quality by customers, and, very probably, a greater level of job satisfaction among staff.

I ALL READERS TALK ABOUT BOOKS but how many stop to consider how books talk about them? The choice of a book is a very personal matter and inevitably tells something of the mind, the interests and the character of the reader. This applies not so much to books selected from a public library where readers are encouraged to be adventurous in their reading and to try a wide variety of books, but it does apply to those books which we buy and keep as our chosen friends and companions.

ONE of the chief objections to printed catalogues is that they are no sooner published than they become out of date. Another pertinent objection has been that of their great expense. There is also the matter of the labour entailed in preparing the printer's copy; but as this labour has to be performed in any case the point has not cropped up during a consideration of rival schemes. The contest between printed, card, and manuscript catalogues has often been waged, and the arguments pro and con, as summed up in Mr. Cutter's report will be familiar to every librarian.

Stretching Corrosion Technology. No one is exclusively a scientist, a craftsman, a technician or a technologist. If he is any one of these then there must be times, in order to carry things through, when he becomes to some extent, or wishes he could become, something of the others. There must be relatively few problems, especially in industry, which do not benefit from an approach from different levels or angles.

WE are always averse to indulging in any controversy that involves the booksellers. At the Brighton Conference a well‐known representative of the Booksellers' Association delivered an address in which he asked for the co‐operation of booksellers and librarians. Our present President, Mr. Jast, assured him on behalf of the meeting that it will be forthcoming whenever possible. In America the Association of Booksellers works in the closest harmony with the libraries, using their publications, and booksellers and libraries mutually advertise and otherwise assist each other. It is rather painful to read in The Publishers' Circular, which may or may not represent British booksellers as a whole, that the Editor regards libraries as an expensive method of disseminating fiction which ought to be bought by readers; that libraries interfere with and compete with booksellers in a disastrous manner, and more to the same effect.