continue to collect pensions/prescriptions/shopping for neighbours who are cocooning. One of our community response team visits graves for those who are cocooning and lays flowers on them as well as sends pictures of them to relatives who cant visit graveyards at present. We’re doing this well … Local solutions have been very positive the provision of busy bee packs though the Yew Tree Project as well as interactive creative packs by the CDP have engaged people and have kept them linked in with services. The Blackrock/Mahon community Gardai have set up their own phone number for people who are cocooning to be able to contact to get help with jobs such as collecting pensions and prescriptions. Phone number 089 459 8574 this has been a vital addition to supporting local people in accessing services especially pension collections and linking with older residents who are cocooning. This number gives local people a direct link into the Community Gardai. We are noticing … Connection is essential feeling connected through a phone call is a lifeline for people especially those cocooning. As time at home goes on families require support to keeps children engaged and busy the youth workers and drugs task force projects have come together and have identified families who require additional support and they are working with the community response team to develop specific packs to support families.
A great support for older people cocooning has been having the graves of their beloved families checked up on and as anniversaries have past having flowers places on the graves and having them tended to has been a huge comfort for people. This is being done by a local volunteer who is part of the community response team, who sends the person an update and a picture. How we’re reaching out… Local phone lines are keep for keeping in touch as is whatsapp and zoom calls by youth workers; Facebook groups are providing support to local people for example the Rainbow Club facebook page is supporting members of the club.
Library Service __________________________________________________________________________________________________ As noted in the March metrics the Covid-19 emergency has had a huge impact on the performance of the library service. Libraries have been closed to the public since 12 March, following an instruction from central government, and library staff have been redeployed to a range of HSE and other Council locations. For the first time in almost a century, since the years after the destruction of the Carnegie Free Library by Crown Forces in 1920, there were no visits to libraries for the month under review. The only items borrowed were by Housebound patrons, thanks to the Council’s expanded home service. This is not the full story, however, as we operate in a dual physical | digital environment. Membership is up – to 34,379 [from 24,024 in this month last year]; this is because of people joining to download online resources (where you need to be a member and have a PIN). Downloading of eBooks and eAudio books continues to rise by huge amounts – 9,786 in April 2020. This is well over three times the volume in April 2019 [3,061]. Again, this is a spinoff from people being confined to home. Membership & Visits Membership Library Visits
34,361 34,379
36000
32,789 32,568
85000
34000
76,108 75,051
32000
75000
30000
65000
28000
55000
26000
45000
24000
22000
35000
25,465
20000
25000
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul
Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul
Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
2017
2018
2019
2020
2017
2018
2019
2020
12
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