There are numerous sources available for people doing biographical research. General reference sources might cover the lives of prominent people throughout history, or give information about important people from a particular country. More specific reference sources might describe the achievements of African Americans, women, or the members of a particular profession such as educators or scientists. The information presented here is intended to provide a brief overview of a few of the most general biographical sources available. If you are having trouble deciding what sources to use for your research, or are in need of more information than is provided here, please ask a librarian for assistance.
Biography and Genealogy Master Index is a comprehensive index to nearly 12 million biographical sketches in more than 2700 volumes and editions of current and retrospective reference books, covering both contemporary and historical figures throughout the world.
The Online version of the Encyclopedia Britannica database includes more than 72,000 encyclopedia articles and year-in-review articles from recent yearbooks. The database provides a search engine, which you may use to look for articles containing biographical information about specific people. Encyclopedia Britannica Online also includes Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, the Britannica Book of the Year, and an Internet directory
The Internet Public Library provides an annotated list of biographical sources available on the World Wide Web. The list includes general biographical resources, as well as biographical resources for different subjects such as art, literature, entertainment, music, politics, and science
The Gale Literary Databases consist of Contemporary Authors, Contemporary Literary Criticism Select, and the Dictionary of Literary Biography. You may search all three databases at the same time or individually. The Gale Literary Databases may be used to find biographical information about almost 100,000 authors, both past and present.
There are many print resources available for people doing biographical research. The sources listed below are among the largest and most general in scope. If you are unsure about which source to use for your research, be sure to ask a librarian for assistance.
Who's Who provides information about prominent British citizens. The most recent edition of Who's Who is available in the Reference Library and the Undergraduate Library (920.042 W62). For other locations in UIUC libraries, please refer to Illinet Online.
Who's Who in America provides biographical information for around 90,000 prominent Americans. Certain jobs automatically qualify people for inclusion. People with important government jobs, administrative positions at universities and colleges, business leaders, judges, military officials, heads of important institutions, religious leaders, and recipients of important awards are all likely to be included in Who's Who in America. The most recent volumes of Who's Who in America can be found at the Reference Library and the Undergraduate Library (920.073 W62), although most libraries on the UIUC campus have some volumes. Please refer to Illinet Online to give information about the holdings of a particular library.
Other versions of Who's Who
There are several other volumes of Who's Who which give information about groups of people or people in certain professions. Examples include Who's who among Black Americans, Who's who among Asian Americans, Who's who of American Women, Who's who among Hispanic Americans, Who's Who in Canada, and Who's who in Science and Engineering, among many others.
Current Biography has been published since 1940, and provides biographical essays about people who are considered newsworthy. Each biographical essay also includes a photograph of its subject. Each Current Biography yearbook provides around 160 essays and obituary notices of people who have died that year. Current Biography is available at The Reference Library, the Undergraduate Library, and the University High School Library (920 C936). For information about particular volumes, please refer to Illinet Online.
Contemporary Authors is also available online as an article database. It includes biographical information about authors of books as well as other writers such as journalists, critics, scriptwriters, and musicians. Other people who might not be known for being authors but have written something significant might also be included. The print version of Contemporary Authors is available at the Reference Library and the Undergraduate Library (928 C767).
The Dictionary of American Biography was first published in 1928 and has been supplemented frequently. It is an extremely useful source for anyone wanting to research Americans of historical importance. Over 18,600 biographical essays are included, and it is indexed by name and topic in its original edition, and indexed by name in the supplementary editions. The most recent supplement to the Dictionary of American Biography is available in the Reference Library, the Undergraduate Library, and the University High School Library (920.073 D561SUP.10). For other volumes and locations in other UIUC libraries, please refer to Illinet Online.
The American National Biography is compiled by the same association that originally published the Dictionary of American Biography, but it attempts to be more inclusive in its choice of subjects, with an emphasis on the inclusion of women and minorities. The American National Biography is available in the Reference Library (920.073 Am3523)
The Almanac of Famous People can be used to find brief biographical information about people, as well as references to other biographic sources. Different indexes allow access to biographic information by year of birth, date of birth, occupation, and geographic location. The most recent edition is available in the Reference Library (920.02 B521998). For other editions, please refer to Illinet Online.
The Dictionary of National Biography contains biographical essays about 37,500 prominent people from England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, as well as people from British colonies or people who have contributed to British history. The most recent supplement covering the years 1986-1990 is available in the Reference Library and the History Library, with the call number 920.042 D561986-90. For other locations of the Dictionary of National Biography, please refer to Illinet Online.
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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library Gateway Homepage Comments to: libref@uiuc.edu Updated on 05/10/01 JK |