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And now for a few thoughts from our colleague Clodagh on keeping sane whilst keeping indoors. I’m starting to get a little home-crazy. With home-schooling, home-working and home-only for the foreseeable future, all I can think of is escape from home rather than using my spare time to clean the previously untouched corners of my home. Bathroom grouting – you have no need to fear! My escape is music. Music touches almost all of us I think, we’re hooked by a bassline or drawn to a melody. I have music in every room of the house, so that I can listen as I read, cook, work or argue about how April Fool’s Day is not a national holiday and therefore home-school still goes ahead.Have you ever wondered what it is about music that makes it so appealing to us humans? How does it affect our brains? How do earworms happen to us? Have a listen to ‘Musicophilia’ by Oliver Sacks, available on eAudiobook through Borrowbox with your library membership. Sacks quotes Charles Darwin’s ‘The Descent of Man’ in his introduction claiming music to be a pretty useless, but nevertheless enjoyable endeavour! I think of dementia choirs here in the city and wonder if Darwin could do with an update? ‘As neither the enjoyment nor the capacity of producing musical notes are faculties of the least use to man ... they must be ranked among the most mysterious with which he is endowed.’If you’d like to find out more, another book choice might be Daniel Levitin’s ‘This is your brain on music’.Or why not check out some of the great music biographies on Borrowbox of talented artists such as David Bowie, Rory Gallagher or Janis Joplin.Watch our how-to video on Borrowbox.Access eBooks/eAudiobooks on your phone, tablet or reader. Once you have installed the app, search for Dublin in the ‘Library’ field provided and then sign in using your library membership card number and PIN.Members of other library authorities will need to access BorrowBox using a different link.In the current situation, I could certainly do some musical therapy, so rather than reading further, I’ve decided to give my faculties a challenge with Artistworks for Libraries, available via RB Digital with your library membership. Watch our how to video for RBdigital.My challenge is to master the bass guitar lying lonesome in the corner of one home-schooler’s bedroom, purchased from the much-missed Walton’s on South Great George’s Street way back when the home-schooler expressed an interest in learning, swiftly followed by a lack of interest in learning. I delude myself that I could be the next Kim Deal or Tina Weymouth, should anyone come looking for a 40-something librarian bassist, with a side knowledge of 2PiR and the counties of Ireland ‘as Gaeilge’.On Artistworks for Libraries, Nathan East provides the bass guitar tutorials. He has worked with musicians from Eric Clapton to Herbie Hancock, and you’ll know his bass lines from songs such as Kenny Loggins’ ‘Footloose’ or Daft Punk’s ‘Get Lucky’. That’s impressive, so I watch the first few videos, feeling a little perplexed by new terms such as harmonics and intonation.‘One man’s G sharp is another man’s A flat’I slow down to get to grips with the terminology and tie it in with what I know already from previous instrumental dabbling. I move on to the warmups and scales and really enjoy getting stuck into the sounds of each string. I’m delighted to see that these videos have a slow-motion version too. The short videos that allow you master a skill before moving on are great for building confidence.The break in the daily home routine is refreshing. Learning an instrument requires a focus that makes you shake off distractions and gives you a sense of accomplishment as you progress. Have a look at Artistworks for Libraries, think about what you could do with the mysterious faculties with which you have been endowed.Dream of your other life in music. Plans for my world tour are on hold for the moment, but watch this space…

The latest DCLA podcast is the second part of "Selected Shorts", a discussion with authors Eilís Ní Dhuibhne, Lia Mills, Christine Dwyer Hickey and Anne Devlin, chaired by Catherine Dunne.

The latest Dublin City Libraries and Archives podcast is the first of a two part episode, "Selected Shorts", we hear actors Rose Henderson, Susie Lamb, Katie O'Kelly and Geraldine Plunkett perform readings from The Long Gaze Back – stories by Éilís Ní Dhuibhne, Lia Mills, Christine Dwyer Hickey and Anne Devlin.

Family connections have a special significance for us at the moment, and I’ve been thinking about my great grandmother’s story espeicially. Born in the middle of a cholera epidemic, she went on to survive the long uncertain absences of her sailor husband, the death of several of her children and two world wars. Our ancestors were survivors!If you have a little extra time on your hands, why not try and find out a bit more about your family heroes, or indeed your black sheep? You can begin to put some flesh to the bones of your family stories using the free online resources available to any member of Dublin City Libraries.BorrowboxWhy not start by soaking up inspiration from other people’s family histories? There are some fascinating memoirs, biographies and family sagas available as ebooks or e-audio books on Borrowbox. You could try A Bold and Dangerous Family: The Rossellis and the Fight Against Mussolini by Caroline Moorhead, the story of one family’s couragous fight against fascism. Or Robert Tickner’s Ten Doors Down: The Story of an Extraordinary Adoption Reunion, a deeply moving memoir that describes the author’s search for his birth mother who was forced to give him up for adoption.Watch our how-to video on Borrowbox. Access eBooks/eAudiobooks on your phone, tablet or reader. Once you have installed the app, search for Dublin in the ‘Library’ field provided and then sign in using your library membership card number and PIN. Members of other library authorities will need to access BorrowBox using a different link.The Great Courses PlusYou might prefer to begin your family history journey by taking a self-paced course in genealogy. The Great Courses Plus offers online lectures by experts on all sorts of subjects, including 15 hours worth of tuition on Discovering Your Roots:  An Introduction to Genealogy. Alternatively, check out Genealogy 101 on Universal Class where you can choose to work towards a certificate or just follow the classes for fun.RBdigitalFamily history magazines are also available to you via RB Digital. Titles like Who Do You Think You Are?, Your Family History, Irish Roots and Military Family History provide great ‘how to’ guides for using a host of family history resources as well as amazing insights into a whole range of historical events that your ancestors might have lived through, or their experiences at work or play.And when we’re up and running again, don’t forget to come in and check out Find My Past or the Irish Newspaper Archives at your local library and begin tracing your family’s journey! 

In this episode of the Dublin City Libraries and Archives podcast Lia Mills talks to Sinéad Gleeson, Alan Hayes, Rob Doyle and Eimear Ryan about all things anthology.

In this episode of the Dublin City Libraries and Archives podcast; Lisa Coen, Louise Kennedy and Kathleen McMahon discuss the forgotten writings of Charlotte Riddell, Norah Hoult and Mary Lavin.

In 1918, news started to filter through of a ‘mystery malady’, a ‘mysterious war disease’. It appeared to originate in Spain as it was first widely reported there, hence the name it has been called ever since, the Spanish Flu. Although, first reported in Spain, the disease probably originated in a different location. Regardless of its origin, the flu wreaked havoc across the globe, claiming the lives of at least 40 million people from 1918 to 1920. The true figure will never be known. It is estimated that one fifth of the world’s population caught the flu.The flu started to make its way to Ireland by the early summer of 1918. On 10 June, an ‘unusual outbreak of illness’ was reported in Belfast, mostly amongst soldiers and female factory workers. By the end of June, 200 cases were reported in Dublin, 60 children in one convent alone, 40 workers in a factory.The flu was described by some in Dublin as a plague by early July. Death numbers were started to filter through, 2 in Dublin, 5 or 6 in Lurgan, 100 in Belfast. There were numerous deaths in Derry. Several people were falling on the streets in Cork. The flu came in two forms, one a mild type of illness, the second more severe. Dying patients sometimes had temperatures as high as 109 degrees Fahrenheit, became unconscious and twitched frequently. They usually died between the sixth and eleventh days of the disease.From the middle of July, the first wave of the flu started to recede. When the second wave struck in October 1918, it was clear to most that the country was in the grips of a severe flu pandemic. Like the first wave, Leinster and Ulster were the areas most affected by the second wave. The second wave was far more destructive than the first. There were many reports of unimaginable horrors inflicted on whole families.There was a case of a man in Clontarf returning home after burying his two sons to find his wife dead too. In Enniscorthy in Wexford, 3 young children from the one family died on the same day. Schools in Dublin city and suburbs were severely affected and were closed down. Absenteeism was rife in businesses. October and November of 1918 saw a paralysis in trade.The second wave, the deadliest of the three waves, dissipated in most places in Ireland by the end of November. The third wave came in February 1919. In Gloucester Prison, Pierce McCan, 35 years-of-age, newly-elected TD for Tipperary East died from the flu on 6 March. There was very little consensus within the medical profession on what was the most effective treatment for the flu. A mixture of whiskey and hot water with sugar was the most widely available. Non-prescription medicines were in high demand as people self-medicated during the pandemic. Hugh quantities of tonics, cough medicines and poultices were sold by pharmacies. Bovril and other beef teas like Oxo were very popular too. Despite all the tonics promoted and sold, bed rest and nursing were still considered the best way of beating the flu.By the end of Spring 1919, the flu finally ran its brutal course in Ireland. It had caused huge devastation throughout the country. An official figure of 20,057 deaths were recorded as being caused by flu during the three waves, although this is likely to be a conservative figure. There were also a lot more deaths from pneumonia, an excess figure of 3,231 deaths from pneumonia in 1918 and 1919 which also can be attributed to the Influenza Pandemic giving a figure of at least 23,288 deaths directly related to the epidemic.Assuming the same for Ireland as the worldwide trend of a 2.5 per cent fatality rate, an approximate number of 800,000 Irish people caught the illness, about one fifth of the population. Taking excess pneumonia deaths into account, the figure was 900,000 people.Mortality in Ireland, like elsewhere, peaked in the mid-life period, between the ages of 25 and 34. There was a surprisingly strong correlation between the social classes of those who died, it was a socially neutral disease. It was more job-dependent than class-dependent. Those who worked with the public were more likely to catch and, therefore, die from the flu. The influenza pandemic, ultimately, left behind a trail of destruction in Ireland, affecting everyone in every county from all classes and creeds.Blog post by: Cormac Moore, Historian.

In this episode of the Dublin City Libraries and Archives podcast novelist and journalist Martina Devlin discusses the fascinating letters from Somerville and Ross to their literary agent in the early 1900s.

As our nation confronts the pressures and uncertainties of the new normal, few of us have been left untouched by the negative impact on our mental wellbeing. Meet this head on by building up your resilience. Check out our amazing online self-help toolkit of mental wellness audiobooks, books and magazines. Listen to and read the experts advice on the best ways of coping with your fears and worries and the top tips for achieving rest and relaxation. All FREE and all available with your Dublin City Libraries card. BorrowboxThe Borrowbox library holds an amazing range of eaudiobooks and ebooks on mental fitness. There’s something here for everyone. To access BorrowBox, register with your library card. To access eBooks/eAudiobooks on your phone, tablet or reader, download the BorrowBox app from your device-specific App Store (Google Play) (iTunes) (Kindle Fire). Once you have installed the app, search for Dublin in the ‘Library’ field provided and then sign in using your library membership card number and PIN. For more details please check our eResources.Digital MagazinesWe also have a fabulous selection of eMagazines on the various aspects of mental wellbeing: register for RB Digital magazines to get access from anywhere. On your first visit, create a new account (inputting your Dublin City library membership card number) and complete registration. Select your library from the drop-down list ('Dublin City Libraries'). Email address required. Once registered you use your email address to login. I really do hope you found something here that has helped you to self-care during this challenging time – Stay safe and well. Be kind to yourself.

Are you, like so many people nowadays, staying at home safe with your children? Would you appreciate access to FREE, reliable, up-to-date and trustworthy online resources to help with home study? Then look no further. Dublin City Libraries has a comprehensive and authoritative collection of online encyclopaedias, dictionaries and other reference tools to help children and young people to study and to learn, whatever age or level they’re at.All that’s needed is a Dublin City Libraries card.Read on and click on the links as you go to explore.World Book Online provides access to three websites with accurate information at age-appropriate levels in a controlled and safe learning environment.    World Book Early World of Learning for toddlers and children in the early education    World Book Kids for ages 7 to 11    World Book Student for ages 12 to 15This resource is packed with thousands of easy-to-read articles, illustrations, videos, interactive maps, and a wealth of engaging games and activities.Britannica Library provides access to hundreds of thousands of informative articles, a rich media library filled with videos and images, an interactive atlas and much more. Simply select the link you want below and enter your library card number    Britannica Library Junior for ages 5 -11    Britannica Library Student for ages 12 – 18    Britannica Library Adult – for ages18 plusOxford Reference is a general reference resource covering all fields of knowledge. It spans 22 core subject areas with over 2 million entries represented across hundreds of subject and language reference titles, and it includes 19,000+ illustrations, and 270 historic timelines by subject or time period.Look to the left of the screen where it says ‘Sign in with your library card’, enter your library card number, and then select ‘Dublin City Libraries’.Oxford Research is a scholarly reference resource and its content is more academic than Oxford Reference. Readers can access peer-reviewed articles written by leading experts for an overview of the selected areas of research listed below.Click on your selected topic, and enter your library card number where indicated on the left of the screen, and select ‘Dublin City Libraries’.    Classics    Climate Science    Communication    Criminology    Environmental Science    International Studies    Literature    Politics    Psychology    Religion    Social WorkVery Short Introductions provides concise, intelligent introductions to a diverse range of subject areas. VSI are very readable and give a quick overview of the topic. They are written by experts in their field who combine facts, analysis and new ideas, and can be used at any level of the academic journey.Look to the left of the screen where it says ‘Sign in with your library card’, and then select ‘Dublin City Libraries’.Oxford Music Online provides information on composers, musicians and other people and subjects linked to the world of music, e.g. patrons, timelines, eras, instruments, pieces, styles etc. This resource includes    52,000+ articles, written and edited by nearly 9,000 subject experts,    images, audio and videos,    extensive bibliographies with life information and works lists for composers, performers and other important musical figures,    free learning resources including subject guides, opera indexes, timelines, and articles on key topics in music.To find out more, click on Oxford Music Online (Grove Music)  - Look to the left of the screen where it says ‘Sign in with your library card’, and then select ‘Dublin City Libraries’.Oxford Art online provides information on all aspects of the world of art, including artists, architects, craftsmen, patrons, movements, locations, and periods, and includes,    30,000+ articles and images,    6,000+ subject entries and 20,000+ biographies, contributed to by nearly 7,000 international scholars – all with bibliographies for further research, and    7,000 searchable images from Oxford’s partnerships with museums, galleries, and other outstanding arts organizations as well as 40,000 editorially selected image links to museums and galleries.Benezit Dictionary of Artists is one of the most comprehensive and definitive resources of artists’ biographies available. It contains    entries on obscure artists and historic auction records,    over 11,000 images of artists’ signatures, monograms, and stamps of sale, and    detailed museum listings, bibliographies, exhibition information, and auction records.To see more, click on Oxford Art Online (Grove Art Online/Benezit Dictionary of Artists). Look to the left of the screen where it says ‘Sign in with your library card’, and then pick ‘Dublin City Libraries’.Oxford English Dictionary is your ‘go to’ resource when you need to find the meaning of a word, or want help with grammar or spelling. It’s the definitive guide to the meaning, history, and pronunciation of 600,000+ words— past and present—from across the English-speaking world. It’s updated every 3 months, and existing entries are revised and new words added.    Dictionary: Browse the whole dictionary from A-Z.    Categories: Browse words by subject, usage, region or origin.    Timelines: Discover when words entered the English language.    Sources: Explore the top 1,000 authors and works quoted in the OED.Click on the ‘Sign in >>’ button on the top right hand of the screen and then enter your library card number where indicated, and select’ Dublin City Libraries’.Oxford Dictionaries Premium provides access to eight unabridged bilingual language dictionaries, as follows:    Spanish    Arabic    German    French    Italian    Portuguese    Russian    ChineseBilingual language content is created by native speakers of each language, working with computational tools to analyse millions of words of language together to find the right translations, new phrases, and changing patterns of usage. It contains comprehensive grammar and spelling rules as well as writing help.Login where indicated with your library card number.Visit our website to find out more about our great online resources.