In this article we analyze the process of construction of the Teachers' Centers in Spain and the role played by a diversity of agents who, from different points of view, defended its setting-up inside the wider field of the in-service teacher training between 1983 and 1990. The starting point of our reflections has been the last book published by Julia Varela: The educational reforms to debate (1982-2006). The undoubted interest of this book does not conceal the asymmetry that exists, in our opinion, between its political relevancy and its historiographic weakness