In celebration of Women's History Month, we'll talk about the women in genealogical research -- your mother, aunts, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers! The records for woman are not as well documented as for men, making it harder to track maternal lines. Please do join us on Saturday, March 20th as we become super sleuths!

March Photo Challenge

One Week Left to submit your photo!

With the weather getting nicer, it's a perfect picture time to capture what Springtime means to you.

So head outside to your favorite place and take that shot!

Submit one photo to

prodriguez@ellajohnsonlibrary.org by

Winner announced during Zoom session.

Check out our Facebook Page Ella’s Hotshots to keep up with future meetings and challenges, as well as find other people who share a love of photography.

Join us for a fireside chat with #1 New York Times-bestselling author John Sandford on Zoom. His newest book Ocean Prey features fan-favorite heroes Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers. You may submit questions for the chat until April 7th. Please email any questions for the author to aflores@ellajohnsonlibrary.org

Donate your "already done, no missing pieces, 500+ piece" jigsaw puzzles to the library no later than Saturday April 10th. Then on Saturday, April 17th, at 1:30 PM stop by to pick up "new-to-you, FREE" jigsaw puzzles to enjoy after Tax Day! You do not have to donate puzzles to pick up "new-to-you" puzzles.

It’s been nearly three months since COVID-19 vaccine doses began arriving in Illinois, but getting an appointment for a shot hasn’t gotten any easier for most eligible residents, and the process certainly hasn’t become smoother, either.

Here are some frequently asked questions about the vaccination process.

Q. Why can’t I get an appointment even though I’m eligible?

The main reason most people are having a hard time scheduling an appointment is there aren’t enough vaccine doses in the state. There are more than 4 million people eligible for the vaccine in Illinois currently, which would require more than 8 million doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines to immunize all of them. The state has received a little more than 3.8 million doses as of Wednesday. The recent approval and release of the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine may expedite the backlog.

Q. Why aren’t vaccine providers scheduling appointments weeks in advance?

When the vaccines first started coming to states in mid-December, the federal government soon reneged on promised doses. Fearing hundreds of people would show up for shots they couldn’t get, state health officials urged vaccine providers to schedule appointments only for the doses they knew they’d have. States are receiving notice of shipments about three weeks in advance from federal officials.

Q. Why are larger segments of downstate counties vaccinated than in the suburbs?

Disbursement of vaccine doses throughout the state has not been proportional to the population of the counties. That has made it harder for suburban residents to get a shot. Many suburban counties border other states where workers who live in Indiana or Wisconsin, but work in the suburbs, are eligible to receive a vaccine here if they qualify. About 50,000 of Illinois’ doses have gone into the arms of out-of-state workers, according to state health figures.

Q. What should I do to register for a vaccine appointment?

Everything you can. Sign up with your county health department first. Then go to every pharmacy site you can think of, including Walgreens, CVS, Jewel-Osco, Meijer, Mariano’s and Walmart. Check with your primary care physician to find out how to register through their medical network. Also call your city, village or even township and ask if a vaccination clinic is being planned.

Help Wanted: PT Circulation Clerk

For details, click HERE.