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The purpose of this paper is to investigate the use of facilities management in selected tertiary institutions in Osun State, Nigeria. This is with a view to giving needed attention to the built environment in the tertiary institutions in Nigeria in order to make them more conducive for learning.

The study used purposive sampling technique to select four tertiary institutions out of six in the study area. A total of 60 questionnaires were distributed to obtain information from construction professionals in works and physical planning departments of the selected institutions. The selected institutions are Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile‐Ife, Ladoke Akintola University, Ogbomoso, The Federal Polytechnic, Ede and Osun State College of Technology, Esa Oke. Both descriptive and inferential statistical methods of analysis were used to analyse the data.

The results revealed that the in‐house maintenance technique, which was mostly used, was found to be inefficient whereas the outsourcing and the one‐site technique, which were scarcely used, were found to be more efficient. Also, it was revealed that outsourcing reduces risk due to reliance on experts and infusion of new technology.

The study concluded that the use of the outsourcing and one‐site techniques should be embraced to upgrade and sustain the built environment for conducive learning.

The study is an attempt to stop the magnitude into which the built environment in the tertiary institutions of Nigeria is deteriorating, before becoming unconducive for learning.

The aim of this work was to evaluate the efficiency of subcritical conditions using different water–ethanol mixtures to recover antioxidant compounds from soybean seed coats (SSCs).

SSCs were subjected to high temperature and pressure conditions, using ethanol–water mixtures as extractive solvent, to obtain phenolic and flavonoid compounds with antioxidant activity. A mathematical model, namely one-site desorption kinetic model, was used to describe the extraction kinetics.

Temperature, solvent mass flow rate and solvent composition were studied, and the best extraction conditions were defined by a screening design. The maximum concentration of phenolics was obtained at 220 °C, 50% of ethanol and 2.5 g/min of solvent mass flow rate and a high antioxidant capacity toward different techniques was achieved. The one-site desorption kinetic model showed that before 30 min under optimal conditions, more than 90% of phenolics and flavonoids were recovered, a shorter extraction time than the commonly used at normal pressure and room temperature.

The seed coat is a major by-product of soybean processing, and it only markets as a low value ruminant feed. To date, there are no reports on the extract phenolics from SSCs by means of this methodology. The extraction technique described in this study provides a potential alternative for extraction of bioactive compounds from SSCs. This study contributes to adding value to this industrial waste and, ultimately, to optimize the postharvest production chain of soybean grains.

In the last issue of OCLC Systems and Services we examined a feasibility study being conducted by a few libraries and OCLC. This study was designed to explore the possibility of linking a library′s local ILL electronic request system to OCLC. The OCLC link eliminates the rekeying of patron requests, which reduces the ILL staff workload and speeds request inputting, both of which would be beneficial to any Interlibrary Loan department. Of the four participants in the study, one site, Southeast Florida Information Network, has entered its testing mode, and only one site, Colorado State University, has successfully implemented and is currently using this link.

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the content and usability of a sample of 50 UK MPs' web sites.

Score sheets were developed for the evaluation of web sites based on an extensive review of the relevant literature. In addition, a questionnaire was sent to all MPs who had a web site at the time of the research.

The web sites in general scored poorly in terms of content and usability. Liberal Democrats' web sites scored the highest overall. The main reason why MPs set up web sites was to improve communications with their constituents. However, many MPs had problems finding the time and funds to set up and maintain their web sites. There is a growing interest in interactive web sites.

Not every MP's web site was evaluated, nor was every MP approached regarding their attitude to web sites.

A series of recommendations on how MPs can improve their web sites is provided. It is clear that MPs' web sites are a long way from being ideal. Funding issues need to be addressed.

This is the latest such survey for a number of years.

Aims to explore the role of Principals in producing outstanding education outcomes in Years 7 to 10 in New South Wales (Australia) government schools.

Sites where “outstanding” educational outcomes were believed to be occurring were selected using a variety of data including performance in standardised tests, public examinations, various value added measures and nominations from various stakeholders. Sites were of two types: subject departments responsible for teaching certain subjects and teams responsible for cross‐school programs in Years 7 to 10. Sites were selected to be broadly representative. Some schools had more than one site, e.g. Mathematics and Student Welfare. A total of 50 sites across NSW from 38 secondary schools were studied.

With both subject departments and teams responsible for cross‐school programs, leadership was found to be a key factor in the achievement of outstanding educational outcomes. Often, this leadership was exercised by the Principal, but additional key personnel included Head Teachers (heads of faculties/departments), Deputy Principals, and teachers playing leading roles in faculties and programs. Analysis of data revealed certain attributes and practices of the Principals of these schools, which are explored, central to which is a focus on students and their learning.

Principals were those of secondary schools from one educational system. Other papers will explore the role of leaders such as Heads of Department, Deputy Principals and teacher leaders.

This article has implications for principal selection, training, appraisal and professional development.

Detailed case studies have provided an examination of leadership effectiveness in a wide range of contexts, which much commonality confirmed.

Most airlines utilize a revenue maximizing technique called yield management, which allows the airlines to allocate their fixed capacity of “perishable” seat inventory to various fare categories in the most profitable manner possible. Demand for these fare categories is usually defined in terms of the “business” vs “leisure” customer segments, while capacity is apportioned between discounted vs non‐discounted seats. The discriminatory pricing goal is to sell only non‐discounted seats to the business travel segment. Suggests that yield management techniques may also be appropriate in certain retail settings involving physical products. In the case of physical products, capacity (i.e. product inventory) is not necessarily “perishable” in the same sense as unsold seats on an airline flight; however, its value may decline with the culmination of a well‐defined shopping period or with a particular special event. Examines how the appropriate use of early discount pricing in markets defined by decreasing customer price sensitivity can maximize the revenue gained from sales of a “seasonal” product.

IN MAY 1970 The library world carried a special issue on ‘Libraries in polytechnics’. Don Davinson, in that issue, said, ‘with little chance of achieving consolidation on one site for many, many years their difficulties in providing coherent library service will be truly formidable’.

Substantial changes were made on many UK construction projects in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this paper is to explore the unanticipated positive consequences of these and the scope for longer-term learning and developments within the sector.

A qualitative approach was used, semi-structured interviews were conducted across six major project sites. Interviewees (n = 33) included site and senior managers, supply chain representatives and occupational safety and health (OSH) professionals. The interviews explored their experiences of working on site during the pandemic, the changes made to work practices and their perceived impacts of these changes.

Improved planning and work sequencing were part of the revised process to make sites COVID-secure. This increased worker effectiveness and housekeeping/tidiness. The view on some sites was that this would improve OSH performance. The changes were perceived to be beneficial but may not be accepted by clients in the long term, as they could result in projects taking longer to complete. The ways in which COVID-19 risk has been communicated and perceived also provides longer-term lessons for the sector’s OSH management and training.

Construction has adapted rapidly and effectively to new ways of working during the pandemic. This research captured in real time some of the changes made and presents an argument for embedding and adopting the changes to improve working arrangements and OSH within the construction sector.