HOW TO FIND BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

When looking for biographical information, time can be saved by knowing more than just the name of the person. Facts like birth/death dates, the field in which the person is well-known, and the country in which he or she lives/lived will help in selecting an appropriate source of biographical information.

These steps should assist in making the search easier:

  1. Check PantherCat, the online catalog. If a biography about a person is owned by the UWM Libraries, it will be found under the name of that person as a subject. For a more general keyword search, use a person's name [last name first name], a subject field [field or occupation], or a geographic area, the word "and", and "biography"; e.g., "lincoln abraham" and biography, medicine and biography, israel and biography.

  2. Consult a general biographical source or index. The Biography and Genealogy Master Index, available online [1980+] or print back volumes [1980-1998: (compact shelving) CT 213 .B5x], indexes material found in many biographical directories. The Biography Index [1946+: (REF) CT 31 .B56x] and the Chicorel Index to Biographies [(REF) CT 100 .C5x 1974] cover biographical material found in books and journals. The online Marquis Who's Who gives entry information for the names listed since 1985 from over 20 resources published by Marquis, including the full-text for the current information and citations to prior volumes (1985+); titles on this selective listing of biographical sources available via Marquis are marked by an * (asterisk).
  1. Check the index volume of one or more encyclopedias. Encyclopedias often contain biographical material about well-known people of all nationalities. Examples include New encyclopaedia Britannica [(REF) AE 5 .E363] and Encyclopedia Americana [(REF) AE 5 .E333]. The Personal name index to the "New York Times,” covering 1851-1999 [(REF) CT 104 .F35], is a good source for general information on persons mentioned in this national resource. The New York Times is available online 1851-latest 3 years; see Proquest historical newspapers: New York Times.

  2. If no or insufficient information is available in these sources, consider the known data about the person. Is/was this a real person? Is the person alive or deceased; when and where did the person live? What is the occupation or field of interest with which the person is primarily associated? With whatever information is available, start with applicable reference books from the following lists. IT IS NECESSARY TO REMEMBER THAT BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION FOR MANY PEOPLE MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE.

    This is a select list of potential English language sources; ask a librarian for assistance locating other directories. With the exception of most indexes, only the latest edition is in the reference collection.


[General] [Geographic] [Occupation/Field of Interest]

GENERAL

A to Z of women in world history
(REF) CT 3202 .K84 2002

Biography almanac
CT 104 .B56x 1983

Biographical dictionary
http://www.s9.com/

Biography.com
http://www.biography.com/

Biography Center
http://www.biography-center.com/

Cambridge biographical encyclopedia
(REF) CT 103 .C26 1994

Contemporary Black biography (1992+)
(REF) DT 18 .C66

Current biography (1940+)
(REF) CT 100 .C8

Dictionary of universal biography of all ages and of all peoples
CT 103 .H9 1951

Encyclopedia of world biography
(REF) CT 103 .E56 1998

Houghton Mifflin dictionary of biography
(REF) CT 103 .H67 2003

Index to women of the world from ancient to modern times
(REF) HQ 1123 .I74x 1970 [& supp]

Infoplease.com
http://www.infoplease.com/

International who's who (1947+)
(REF) CT 120 .I5

Lives, the biographical resource
http://amillionlives.com/

New York Times obituaries index, 1858-1968 [1970]
CT 213 .N47

Riverside dictionary of biography
(REF) CT 103 .R49 2005

Webster's biographical dictionary
CT 103 .W4 1976

Who's who in gay and lesbian history
(REF) HQ 75 .2 .W482x 2001

*Who's who in the world
(REF) CT 120 .W5 (1971+)
Find Articles: Resources A-Z (1985+)

Women in world history
(REF) HQ 1115 .W6 1999

GEOGRAPHIC SPECIFIC

ADB & NDB: Gesamtregister
(REF-CD) CT 1053 .A5 2003

African American biographical database (covers 1790-1950)
Find Articles: Resources A-Z

African American biography
(REF) E 185 .96 A44 1994

African biographical dictionary
(REF) DT 18 .B76 1994

American national biography
(REF) E 176 .D56 1999

Asian American biography
(REF) E 184 .A75 A8253 2004

Australian dictionary of biography (covers 1788-1980)
(REF) DU 82 .A9

Biographical directory of the United States Congress, 1774-2005
(REF) JK1010 .A5 2005
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/serialset/cdocuments/hd108-222/index.html

Canadian who's who (1964+ )
(REF) F 1033 .C23

Concise dictionary of American Jewish biography
(REF) E 184 .J5 C653 1994

Dictionary of American biography [& supps]
(REF) E 176 .D56 1964

Dictionary of Canadian biography (covering 1000-1930)
(REF) F 1005 .D49

Dictionary of Irish biography [1978]
(REF) CT 862 .B69

Great North American Indians: profiles in life and leadership [1977]
(REF) E 89 .D55

Historical encyclopedia of American women entrepreneurs: 1776 to the present
(REF) HD 6054 .4 .U6 O685x 2000

History Today who's who in British history
(REF) DA 34 .W48x 2000

Notable Asian Americans [1995]
(REF) E 184 .O6 N67

Notable Latino Americans
(REF) E 184 .S75 M435 1997

Oxford dictionary of national biography (British)
(REF) DA 28 .O95 2004

U X L Hispanic American biography
(REF) E 184 .S75 U94 2003

Who was who (British) (covers 1897-1970)
(REF) DA 28 .W65

*Who was who in America (covers 1607+)
(REF) E 663 .W55
Find Articles: Resources A-Z (1985+)

Who was who in the USSR [1972]
CT 1212 .I57

Who's who     (British) (1915+)
(REF) DA 28 .W6

Who's who among African Americans (1975+)
(REF) E 185 .96 .W52

Who's who among Asian Americans (1994/95)
(REF) E 184 .O6 W46x

Who's who among Hispanic Americans (1991/92-1994/95)
(REF) E 184 .S75 W36

*Who's who in America (1899+)
(REF) E 663 .W56
Find Articles: Resources A-Z (1985+)

Who's who in Ancient Egypt
(REF) DT 76 .R53x 1999

Who's who in Australia (1971+)
(REF) DU 114 .A2 W4x

Who's who in France (1953-1992)
{compact shelving} DC 705 .A1 W46

Who's who in Russia and the CIS Republics
(REF) CT 1203 .W46 1995

Who's who in the Ancient Near East
(REF) DS 61 .5 .L45 1999
PantherCat: netLibrary

Who's who in the Arab World (1967+)
(REF) D 198 .3 .W5

*Who’s who of American women
(REF) CT 3260 .W5 (1958+)
Find Articles: Resources A-Z (1985+)

Who's who of Southern Africa (1962+)
(REF) DT 752 .S5

Wisconsin biographical dictionary
(REF) F 580 .W57x 1999

For additional geographic areas, check the online catalog (keyword search: "country name and biography"). See also the Marquis publications, Who's who in the Midwest, East, South & Southwest, and West, available in print and online.


BY OCCUPATION OR FIELD OF INTEREST

[Art/Architecture] [Business] [Education/Humanities/Religion] [Entertainment]
[Fictional Characters] [Literature] [Science] [Social Sciences]

ART AND ARCHITECTURE

A to Z of American women in the visual arts
(REF) N 6505 .L59 2002

African-American architects; a biographical dictionary, 1865-1945
(REF) NA 736 .A47 2004

AskART.com
http://askart.com/

Contemporary architects
(REF) NA 680 .C625 1994

Dictionary of contemporary American artists
(REF) N 6512 .C854 1994

Encyclopedia of Jewish American artists
(REF) N 6538 .J4 B37 2007

Encyclopedia of world art [1959]
(REF) N 31 .E533

Facts on File biographical encyclopedia of artists
(REF) N 40 .F33x 2005

Index to artistic biography [1973 & supp]
(REF) N 40 .H38

Macmillan encyclopedia of architects
(REF) NA 40 .M25 1982

Modern Chinese artists: a biographical dictionary
N 7348 .S85 2006

Union list of artist names (ULAN)
http://www.getty.edu/research/conducting_research/
vocabularies/ulan/

Who was who in American art, 1564-1975
(REF) N 6512 .F26 1999

Who's who in architecture: from 1400 to the present
(REF) NA 40 .W48 1977b

Who's who in art (1964+)
(REF) N 40 .W6

*Who's who in American art
(REF) N 6536 .W5 (1937+)
Find Articles: Resources A-Z (1985+)

World artists, 1950-1980
(REF) N 6489 .M37 1984

World artists, 1980-1990
(REF) N 6489 .W67 1991

BUSINESS
A to Z of American women business leaders and entrepreneurs
(REF) HD 6054 .4 .U6 S5 2002

Encyclopedia of American women in business; from colonial times to the present
(REF) HD 6054 .4 .U6 K753 2005

Icons of business: an encyclopedia of mavericks, movers, and shakers
(REF) HC 102 .5 .A2 D74 2007

Standard & Poor's register of corporations, directors, and executives (1966+)
(REF) HG 4057 .A42

Who's who in advertising (1990/91)
(REF) HF 6178 .W48

*Who's who in finance and business
(REF) HF 3023 .A2 W5 (1972+)
Find Articles: Resources A-Z (1985+)

Who's who in insurance (1975-1996)
(REF) HG 8523 .W5

EDUCATION/HUMANITIES/RELIGION
American philosophers before 1950
B 851 .A43 2003

American philosophers, 1950-2000
B 935 .A45 2003

Biographical dictionary of modern American educators
(REF) LA 2311 .O55 1997

Directory of American scholars (1942-1999)
(REF) LA 2311 .C32

Encyclopedia of archaeology. The great archaeologists
CC 110 .E54 1999

Fifty key thinkers in psychology
BF 109 .A1 S49 2004
PantherCat: netLibrary

Holy people of the world: a cross-cultural encyclopedia
(REF) BL 72 .H65 2004

National faculty directory (current year)
(REF) LB 1778 .N37x

Oxford dictionary of saints
(REF) BX 4655 .8 .F34x 1992 [3ed]
PantherCat: netLibrary [4ed]

Peculiar prophets: a biographical dictionary of new religions
(REF) BL 72 .L48 1999

Pioneers of early childhood education
(REF) LB 1139 .23 .P45 1998

Pope encyclopedia: an a to z of the Holy See
(REF) BX 955 .2 .B86 1995

*Who's who in American education
{compact shelving} LA 2311 .W45 (1937-1968)
Find Articles: Resources A-Z (1985+)

Who's who in Christianity
(REF) BR 1700 .2 .C64 1998
PantherCat: netLibrary

*Who's who in religion
(REF) BR 569 .W48x (1975/76-1985)
Find Articles: Resources A-Z (1985+)

Women of classical mythology
(REF) BL 715 .B445 1991

ENTERTAINMENT/MUSIC
AMG all music guide
http://www.allmusic.com/

Baker's biographical dictionary of musicians
(RMU) ML 105 .B16 2001

Chronicle of classical music
(REF) ML 161 .K46x 1994

Contemporary theatre, film, and television (1984+)
(REF) PN 2285 .C58

Enter the playmakers: directors and choreographers on the New York stage
(REF) PN 1998 .2 .H596 2006

Great composers, 1300-1900 [1966]
(REF) ML 105 .E944

International cyclopedia of music and musicians
(RMU) ML 100 .T47 1985

International encyclopedia of dance
(REF) GV 1585 .I586 1998

International motion picture almanac (1962+)
(REF) PN 1993 .3 .I55

Motion picture performers: a bibliography of magazine and periodical articles, 1900-1969 (suppl. 1970-1974)
Z 5784 .M9 S35

New biographical dictionary of film
(REF) PN 1998 .2 .T49 2002b

New grove dictionary of music and musicians
(RMU) ML 100 .N48 2001
Find Articles: Resources A-Z: New grove II

Musicians since 1900 [1978]
(REF) ML 105 .E97

Who was who in the theatre, 1912-1976
PN 2597 .W52

Women vaudeville stars: eighty biographical profiles
(RMU) PN 1968 .U5 F54 2006

FICTIONAL CHARACTERS
Benet's reader's encyclopedia
PN 41 .B4 1996

Dictionary of literary characters
(REF) PR 19 .L37 2004

Encyclopedia of early television crime fighters: all regular cast members in American crime and mystery series, 1948-1959
(REF) PN 1992 .8 .D48 A25 2006

Encyclopedia of gods
(REF) BL 473 .J67 1993

Index to characters in the performing arts (1966-1973)
PN 1579 .S45

Masterplots cyclopedia of literary characters
PN 44 .M3 1963a

My name in books: a guide to character names in children’s literature
PantherCat: netLibrary

Name is familiar--: who played who in the movies?
PN 1995 .9 .C36 N696 1993

Television characters 1,485 profiles, 1947-2004
PN 1992 .3 .U5 T465 2006

Who was really who in fiction
PN 41 .B57 1987

LITERATURE AND AUTHORS
African-American writers: a dictionary
PS 153 .N5 A3444 2000

American authors, 1600-1900     [1938]
PS 21 .K8

Asian American writers
PS 153 .A84 A845 2005

Australian writers, 1975-2000
PR 9609 .6 .A974 2006

British authors before 1800     [1952]
(REF) PR 105 .K9

Contemporary authors
Find Articles: Resources A-Z     (1962+)

Contemporary poets
PR 603 .C6 1991

Cyclopedia of world authors II
(REF) PN 451 .C93 1989

Dictionary of literary biography yearbook (1980-2002)
(REF) PS 21 .D53x

Dramatists     [1979]
(REF) PR 625 .D7x

European authors, 1000-1900     [1967]
(REF) PN 451 .K8

Longman dictionary of poets
(REF) PN 1111 .B524x 1985

Nobel prize laureates in literature
(REF) PN 171 .P75 N58 2006

Novelists and prose writers [1979]
(REF) PR 751 .N65x

Spanish American authors: the twentieth century
(REF) PQ 7081.3 .F57 1992

Who's who in writers, editors, & poets (1995/96)
PS 129 .W47

SCIENCE
A to Z of chemists
QD 21 .O34 2002

A to Z of women in science and math
Q 141 .Y675 1999

American men & women of science (1971-1998/99)
(REF) Q 141 .A47

Biographical dictionary of scientists
(REF) Q 141 .B528 2000

Biographical dictionary of women in science
(REF) Q 141 .B5285 2000

Cambridge dictionary of scientists
Q 141 .C128 2002

MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive: Biographies Index
http://www-history.mcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/BiogIndex.html

Nobel scientists: a biographical encyclopedia
Q 141 .K78 2002

Notable women in the physical sciences: a biographical dictionary
Q 141 .N734 1997

Prominent scientists: an index to collective biographies
Q 141 .P398 1985

*Who's who in American nursing
Find Articles: Resources A-Z (1985+)

*Who's who in science and engineering
(REF) Q 141 .W576 (1992, 1997)
Find Articles: Resources A-Z (1985+)

Who's who in science in Europe
Q 145 .W52 1984

SOCIAL SCIENCES
American government leaders: major elected and appointed officials, federal, state and local, 1776-2005
(REF) E 176 .L5 2006

American presidents
(REF) E 176 .1 .A6566 2000

American sportswriters and writers on sport
GV 742 .4 .A64 2001

Biographical directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789-1978 [& supps 1978-1994]
(REF) E 176 .B573 (call numbers vary)

Cops, crooks, and criminologists: an international biographical dictionary of law enforcement
(REF) HV 7911 .A1 A94 2000

Current world leaders (1978-2006)
D 839 .C875x

Directors of Central Intelligence as leaders of the U.S. intelligence community, 1946-2005
http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS76976

First Ladies of the United States
(REF) E 176 .2 .W369x 2001

Gangsters, swindlers, killers, and thieves: the lives and crimes of fifty American villains
HV 6785 .G36 2004

Official Congressional directory
(REF) JK 1011 .A3x (1896-2005/06)
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/cdirectory/index.html (1995/96+)

Oxford companion to world sports and games [1975]
GV 567 .O9x

Portraits of justice: the Wisconsin Supreme Court's first 150 years
(REF) KFW 2912 .P67 2003
http://www.wicourts.gov/about/pubs/supreme/
docs/portraitsofjustice.pdf

Presidential also-rans and running mates, 1788 through 1996
(REF) E 175 .1 .S695 1998

*Who's who in American law
(REF) KF 372 .W48x (1977-2003/2004)
Find Articles: Resources A-Z (1985+)

*Who's who in American history
Find Articles: Resources A-Z (1985+)

Who's who in American politics (1967+)
(REF) E 176 .W6424

Who's who in military history: from 1453 to the present day
(REF) U 51 .K43 1996

Who's who of Nobel Prize winners, 1901-1990
(REF) CT 120 .W56x 1991

Women rulers throughout the ages
(REF) D 107 .J32 1999

£ - - 8 April 2008


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