There are countless sources for biographical information. This research guide makes no attempt
to make an exhaustive list of sources; rather, this guide lists and describes some of the commonly-used
general sources.
This information will help determine which source is best to use.
To locate book-length biographies and multimedia (videocassettes, DVDs) in the UCF Libraries,
use the UCF Library Catalog. You can search by author, title, keyword, or subject.
Indexes and databases provide pointers to other sources of information and are excellent places
to start searching for biographical information. No attempt has been made to list here the many
comprehensive indexes and databases, such as
ABI/Inform,
Academic Search Premier,
America: History and Life,
Expanded Academic ASAP, or
Readers' Guide Full Text (to name but a few) where copious valuable information about
individuals also may be found.
These sources listed below contain either directory information (basic facts, such as birthdate,
deathdate, educational background, career, etc.) or article/essay descriptions of the individual.
Sources that are retrospective (only deceased individuals are included) are noted in the annotation.
http://www.s9.com/biography/index.html
Covers more than 28,000 notable men and women who have shaped our world from ancient
times to the present day. The dictionary can be searched by birth years, death years,
positions held, professions, literary and artistic works, achievements, and other keywords.
The information in the entries typically is very brief.
http://www.biography.com
A magazine and TV channel site for the A&E cable show, "Biography," with celebrity features
and clips of upcoming shows. The search engine Search contains over "25,000 of
the greatest lives, past and present." Entries usually are rather brief.
Contains biographical information on over one million individuals from all time periods,
geographical locations, and fields of endeavor. The "Biographical Facts Search" allows
searching for people based on one or more personal facts, such as occupation.
Cambridge Biographical Encyclopedia
Reference CT 103 .C26 1994
Contains over 15,000 short biographies, of both historical and contemporary personages,
as well as appendix material on political leaders, award winners, religious leaders
Current Biography
Reference CT 100 .C8 (1940+)
A yearbook containing 250 to 350 biographical articles on internationally prominent
people in the fields of popular culture, sports, science and technology, national and
international affairs, business, and the visual and performing arts. All entries have
a portrait of the individual profiled and a list of sources.
Dictionary of International Biography
Reference CT 101 .D5 (1963-72, 1976)
Each volume contains approximately 5000 entries for men and women in all professions
and fields of interest on a worldwide scale.
HarperCollins Dictionary of Biography
Reference CT 103 .H36 1993
Identifies more than eight thousand philosophers, soldiers, musicians, artist scientists,
rulers, inventors, politicians, entertainers, athletes, and religious leaders.
International Who's Who
Reference CT 120 .I5
Biographies on famous and influential men and women worldwide. Separate section lists
reigning royal families, and a list of obituaries updates entries for those who died
after the text was printed.
McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of World Biography: An International Reference Book
Reference CT 103 .M27
A 12-volume set containing brief essays, many with pictures and all with references
to other sources of information, on individuals from throughout the world and human
history.
Webster's New Biographical Dictionary
Reference CT 103 .W4 1988
A pronouncing dictionary with brief factual entries on about 30,000 individuals. Does
not include living persons.
Who's Who in the World
Reference CT 120 .W5
Contains approximately 30,000 brief biographical entries on persons worldwide. The entries
in the latest edition are available in the online database
Biography Resource Center (above).
United States
Reference CT 213 .A68 1999
Conceived as the successor to the
Dictionary of American Biography (DAB)
(below) and published under the auspices of the American Council of Learned Societies.
Does not include living persons. The biographical sketches written by scholars on about
17,000 historical figures range from the time of the earliest recorded European explorations
up to the very recent past. Most of the entries have a brief bibliography appended.
Reference E 176 .D563
Contains 18,110 lengthy, signed articles written by scholars on noteworthy Americans
from Colonial times through 1970. Does not include living persons. Bibliographies, appended
to all entries, frequently identify primary sources and the locations of biographees'
personal papers. Use the index to locate individuals. See also the
American National Biography (ANB)
(above). The entries in the
DAB are available in their entirety in the online
database
Biography Resource Center (above).
Dictionary of American Negro Biography
Reference E 185.96 .D53 1982
Includes only individuals who died prior to January 1, 1970. Signed articles with notes
on sources, intended to meet the need for a comprehensive biographical dictionary of
African Americans based on scholarly research. "Historical significance" was the principal
criterion for inclusion.
Distinguished
Asian Americans: A Biographical Dictionary
Reference E 184.O6 D57 1999
Features biographical profiles of 166 distinguished Asian-Americans, both native and
foreign-born, who have made significant contributions to American society. Appendixes
list individuals by occupation and ethnic subgroup.
The Encyclopedia of Native American Biography: Six Hundred Life Stories of Important
People from Powhatan to Wilma Mankiller
Reference E 89 .J69 1997
Approximately 600 biographical sketches of native Americans and some non-Native Americans
important in Indian affairs, from the seventeenth century to the present.
The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography
Reference E 176 .N28
Subtitle: "Being the history of United States as illustrated in the lives of the founders,
builders, and defenders of the republic, and of the men and women who are doing the
work and moulding the thought of the present time, edited by distinguished biographers,
selected from each state, revised and approved by the most eminent historians, scholars,
and statesmen of the day." Because of the non-alphabetic organization, the cumulative
Index is essential for locating entries.
Notable Asian Americans
Reference E 184.O6 N67 1995
Lengthy biographical essays on nearly 250 Asian and Pacific Islander Americans, with
occupation and ethnicity indexes. The entries in the latest edition are available in
the online database
Biography Resource Center
(above).
Notable Native Americans
Reference E 89 .N67 1995
Biographical essays on 265 native North American men and women, over three-quarters
of whom are twentieth-century individuals. Includes occupational and tribal indexes.
The entries in the latest edition are available in the online database
Biography Resource Center (above).
Who Was Who in America
Reference E 176 .W64
Brief biographical data on deceased prominent Americans. The historical volume covers
1607-1896; subsequent volumes cover individuals who have died since their listing in
Who's Who in America (below). Use the index
volume to locate individuals.
Who Among African Americans
Reference E 185.96 W53
Originally titled
Who's Who Among Black Americans until the 1998/99 edition.
Biographical information on more than 20,000 African-Americans in elected or appointed
office, or in careers of achievement in the arts, civil rights, business, education,
religion, and sports. Entries from editions since 1998 are available in the online database
Biography Resource Center (above).
Among Hispanic Americans
Reference E 184 .S75 W53
Includes biographical data, career profiles, and addresses of over 5,000 Hispanic-American
leaders.
Reference E 663 .W56
Basic biographical data on prominent living Americans. The entries in the latest edition
are available in the online database
Biography
Resource Center (above).
Who's Who in the East
Reference E 747 .W59
Who's Who in the Midwest
Reference E 747 .W63
Who's Who in the South and Southwest
Reference E 176 .W645
Who's Who in the West
Reference F 595 .W64
Regional biographical directories published by the same company that publishes
Who's
Who in America (above). Most of the biographies listed in one of the regional editions
are not listed in
Who's Who in America. The entries in the latest editions of
all titles are available in the online database
Biography Resource Center (above).
Who's Who of American Women
Reference CT 3260 .W5
Brief biographical data on approximately 30,000 contemporary American women. The entries
in the latest edition are available in the online database
Biography Resource Center (above).
Great Britain
Dictionary of National Biography
(DNB)
Reference DA 28 .D48
Signed articles by scholars on important British citizens "from the earliest times"
to 1990. Includes American colonials. All articles are on deceased individuals.
Who Was Who
Reference DA 28 .W65
A compilation of biographical sketches from Who's Who (below), with dates of
death and interment location.
Who's Who
Reference DA 28 .W6
Biographical sketches of notable living British subjects.
Canada
Dictionary of Canadian Biography
Reference F 1005 .D49
A multi-volume work offering signed, scholarly articles ranging from 200 to 10,000 words
with bibliographic references to manuscripts and printed sources. Arranged in chronological
sequence by volume with an index at the end of each. Accompanied by a separate cumulative
index. Lists only deceased individuals.
The following sources below provide information about prominent individuals in their respective
fields of endeavor.
Art and Architecture
Contemporary Artists
Reference N 6490 .C6567
Provides detailed personal and professional information on 850 artists -- both established
masters and emerging figures. Modern painters, sculptors and graphic and performance
artists are included. Illustrated with approximately 600 black-and-white photographs
of the artists and their works. The entries in the latest edition are available in the
online database
Biography Resource Center
(above).
Contemporary Designers
Reference NK 1390 .C655
Profiles the careers and accomplishments of 685 designers from throughout the world.
Each entry provides a detailed biography; a list of important and representative design
works; a bibliography covering publications by and about the designer; an essay by a
specialists in the field; and comments by the designer on his or her own work, when
available. The entries in the latest edition are available in the online database
Biography Resource Center (above).
Contemporary Photographers
Reference TR 139 .C664
Contains over 800 detailed biographical sketches that profile photographers worldwide.
Each articles lists of individual exhibitions, a listing of galleries and museums that
have the entrant's work in their collection, a selected bibliography of works by and
about the photographer, and an evaluative essay signed by one of the book's 175 contributors.
The entries in the latest edition are available in the online database
Biography Resource Center (above).
The Dictionary
of Art [Grove's]
Reference N 31 .D5 1996
Contains over 45,000 articles on every aspect of the visual arts -- painting, sculpture,
graphic arts, architecture, decorative arts and photography -- from prehistory to the
present day. Many biographies.
The Macmillan Encyclopedia of Architects
Reference NA 40 .M25
A four volume comprehensive biographical source on historical and contemporary architects.
Volume 4 contains an index to building names and a glossary of architectural terms used
within the work.
World Artists: 1950-1980
World Artists: 1980-1990
Reference N 6489 .M37
Together, these two volumes profile 432 artists who have been influential in the post-World
War II era.
Business and Economics
Biographical Dictionary of American Business Leaders
Reference HC 102.5 .A2 I53 1983
Presents 835 entries ranging in length from 750 to more than 3,000 words on the "most
significant" U.S. business leaders from colonial times to the present.
Contemporary American Business Leaders: A Biographical Dictionary
Reference HC 102.5.A2 I534 1990
Contains 116 biographies of major business leaders from 1945 to date of publication
in 1990. Entries are typically several pages long.
Great Economists Since Keynes: An Introduction to the Lives and Works of One Hundred
Modern Economists
Reference HB 76 .B55 1985
Describes the careers and contributions of key modern economists. Indexed by name and
subjects.
Who's Who in Economics: A Biographical Dictionary of Major Economists, 1700-1986
Reference HB 76 .W46 1986
Provides biographical, bibliographical, and critical information on over 1,000 living
economists and some 500 deceased economists. Gives pertinent biographical data, a select
bibliography, an assessment of the economist's distinctive contribution and a listing
of those critical studies important for an understanding of his or her work. One particularly
useful aspect of the book is that the living entrants themselves provided data on what
they believe to be their major contribution to economics, thus offering a unique self
criticism of their work.
Who's Who in Finance and Industry
Reference HF 3023 .A2 W5
Features more than 18,000 comprehensive listings, providing brief biographical information
on senior executives of the largest U.S. firms and other leaders in business and industry.
The entries in the latest edition are available in the online database
Biography Resource Center (above).
Education
Biographical Dictionary of American Educators
Reference LA 2311 .B54
Aims "to provide a ready source of biographical information about those people who have
shaped American education from colonial times to the American bicentennial of 1976"
(preface). Signed articles, each about one page in length, concentrate on the biographee's
education, employment, contributions to the field, and participation in professional
organizations. Volume 3 contains an index to the set.
Directory of American Scholars
Reference LA 2311 .D57
Provides brief biographical information about academicians and independent scholars
in selected fields. The entries in the latest edition are available in the online database
Biography Resource Center (above).
- Volume 1: History
- Volume 2: English, Speech, and Drama
- Volume 3: Foreign Languages, Linguistics and Philology
- Volume 4: Philosophy, Religion, and Law
- Volume 5: Social Sciences
- Volume 6: Index
Government and Politics
"Almanac of American Politics
Reference JK 271 .B343
Provides a brief political history of each state and Congressional district in the U.S.,
with profiles of each of the incumbent governors, senators, and representatives.
Biographical
Directory of the American Congress, 1774-1996
Reference JK 1010 .A5
Profiles members of the Continental Congress, Sept. 5, 1774, to Oct. 21, 1788, and the
Congress of the United States from the 1st through the 104th Congresses, Mar. 4, 1789,
to Jan. 3, 1997.
Congressional Staff Directory
Reference JK 1012 .C65
Contains detailed listings including contact information for members and staff, biographies,
committee assignments, and county, city, state, and district representation.
Presidential Fact Book
Reference E 176.1 .K3 1998
Information about the lives, backgrounds, and terms in office of every American president,
George Washington to Bill Clinton, plus facts about the Executive Office itself.
Who's Who in American Politics
Reference E 176 .W6424
Brief biographical information on about 30,000 individuals. Entries are listed alphabetically
by individual’s name within a state-by-state framework. An alphabetical index at the
end of Volume 2 lists each entrant’s name, party affiliation, and state for quick reference.
Law
Martindale-Hubbell
Law Directory
Reference KF 190 .M3
Gives brief biographical information on more than 900,000 lawyers around the world.
The online version is available through the LexisNexis Academic database; on
the Quick News Search page, click on the link to "Legal Research," then click on "Martin-Hubbell
Law Directory Listings."
The Oxford
Companion to the Supreme Court of the United States
Reference KF 8742 .A35 O93 1992
Contains biographical information on all of the justices who have served on the court up to 1991,
as well as other relevant historical figures.
Literature
American Writers: A Collection of Literary Biographies
Reference PS 129 .A55
Provides information about the lives, careers, and works of major American writers.
Each essay in the multi-volume set is approximately 20 pages. The heart of each essay
is a critical evaluation and analysis of the writer's major works, followed by a selective
bibliography both of the author's works and books and articles about the works. Each
of the essays in the print edition is available in the online database
Literature Resource Center (below).
Ancient Writers: Greece and Rome
Reference PA 3002 .A5
A two-volume survey of western literature in the classical period contains 47 chronologically
arranged bio-critical essays.
British Writers
Reference PR 85 .B688
Provides information about the lives, careers, and works of major British writers from
the fourteenth century to the present day in chronological order by birth date. The
essays are evaluative surveys of authors' writings, with a selected bibliography of
the authors' works and criticism about the works. Each of the essays in the print edition
is available in the online database
Literature Resource Center (below).
Contemporary Authors: A Bio-Bibliographical Guide to Current Writers in Fiction, General
Nonfiction, Poetry, Journalism, Drama, Motion Pictures, Television
Reference PN 771 .C662
A multi-volume series that contains biographical information on approximately 112,000
modern novelists, poets, playwrights, nonfiction writers, journalists and scriptwriters.
Sketches typically include personal information, addresses, career history, writings,
work in progress, biographical/critical sources and authors' comments and/or informative
essays about their lives and work. Each of the sketches in the print edition is available
online in the
Biography Resource Center database.
Contemporary Novelists
Reference PR 881 .C69 2001
A dictionary of about 700 English-language fiction writers. Each entry features a brief
biographical sketch, a list of the writer's works, and a critical essay. Some articles
include personal comments by the writer. The entries in the latest edition are available
in the online database
Biography Resource Center
(above).
Contemporary Poets
Reference PR 603 .C6 2001
Biographical sketches of contemporary English-language poets, with a list of critical
studies of the poet's work as well as a critical summary of each poet's career. The
entries in the latest edition are available in the online database
Biography Resource Center (above).
Dictionary of Literary Biography (DLB)
Reference PS 21 .D5
Includes the full text of biographical essays which provide an extended study of an
author's life and work. Each essay includes primary and secondary bibliographies for
further study. Each of the essays in the print volumes is available in the online database
Literature Resource Center (below).
European Writers
Reference PN 501 .E9 1983
Provides information about the lives, careers, and works of major European writers from
the medieval times to the present day in chronological order by birth date. Use index
volume to locate author/specific work. Essays from the print edition is available in
the online database
Literature Resource Center (below).
Provides biographies, bibliographies, and critical analyses of more than 120,000 authors
from every age and literary discipline. Contains the Scribner Writer's Series which
includes 15-20 page signed essays on more than 1,600 authors and literary genres drawn
from 13 acclaimed Scribner print series; and the Twayne World, US, and English Authors
series, each of which contains the full text of 200 frequently used Twayne Literary
Masters books on individual world, US, or English authors, for a total of 600 full-text
titles.
McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of World Drama: An International Reference Work in Five Volumes
Reference PN 1625 .M3 1984
Lengthy entries on major dramatists include biographical information, critical commentary,
synopses of selected plays, a list of plays, and selected bibliography.
Medicine and Nursing
American Nursing: A Biographical Dictionary
Reference RT 34 .A44
Contains biographies of 175 women and two men nursing leaders. Most entrants were born
before 1900. Signed entries give lengthy biographical information, references, and life
dates. Many photographs and drawings.
Dictionary of American Medical Biography
Reference R 153 .D53 1984
Includes more than 1,000 persons from the seventeenth through the twentieth centuries
who had died prior to December 1976. Coverage extends outside the medical mainstream
to include non-physicians such as biochemists, medical educators, health faddists, patent
medicine inventors, and unorthodox practitioners. The appendix gives a listing by birthdate,
birthplace, state where prominent, occupation and specialty, medical school or graduate
level college, and females.
Dictionary of American Nursing Biography
Reference RT 34 .D53 1988
Contains 196 biographical sketches of persons important in the history of nursing and
who died prior to January 31, 1987. Appendixes list individuals by birthplace, state
where prominent, and occupation or specialty. Indexed by personal name, organization,
place, and special subject.
The Official American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) Directory of Board Certified
Medical Specialists
Reference R 712 .A1 D5
The entries, arranged by board certification specialty, then by state, provide brief
biographical information for over 580,000 medical specialists in 24 fields. Includes
medical education, training, career, and address information.
The Oxford Companion to Medicine
Reference R 121 .O88 1986
Brief biographical entries on individuals who have figured prominently in the history
of medicine since earliest times.
Music and the Performing Arts
Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians
Reference ML 105 .B16
The most authoritative biographical dictionary in the field. Entries include a brief
biography and a list of writings and/or compositions. The entries in the latest edition
are available in the online database
Biography
Resource Center (above).
Contemporary Musicians: Profiles of the People in Music
Reference ML 197 .C761
Profiles popular musicians and musical groups, although some classical performers are
included. Each two- to three-page entry contains a biographical sketch, often a portrait
of the musician or group, a discography, and bibliography of further sources of information.
The biographies in this set are available in the online database
Biography Resource Center (above).
Reference PN 2012 .W5
An ongoing biographical reference series providing brief biographical information and
credits of performers, directors, writers, producers, designers, technicians, composers,
executives, and critics in the United States and Great Britain. The biographies in this
set are available in the online database
Biography
Resource Center (above).
The New Grove Dictionary of American Music
Reference ML 101 .U6 N48
Considered the principal reference work on American music, with concise articles summarizing
works for lesser known persons, and broad, illustrated pieces with works lists and lengthy
bibliographies for well-known persons. Detailed coverage of popular styles and genres,
including sketches of important popular groups. Numerous descriptions of uniquely American
musical instruments. Historical sketches of musical publishers. Copiously illustrated,
provided with an excellent introduction and a list of contributors.
Reference ML 100 .N48 2001
The premier encyclopedia of music and musicians, with articles written by scholars on
composers, performers, theorists, music publishers, instruments, musical terminology,
musical forms and styles, genres, world music and more. Many articles include bibliographies
for further reading. Entries for composers varies from era to era: for example, all
known Medieval composers are included, while Renaissance composers are included only
if five or more works survive or if a substantial number of works survive in manuscript.
Performers are included only if they were involved with the first performance of a major
work or if they had an influence on a composers style or work. Others are included even
more selectively. The full text is available in
Grovemusic.com
(above).
World Musicians
Reference ML 385 .W67 1999
Profiles approximately 500 of the world’s most renowned and accomplished living performers,
composers, conductors, and band leaders in musical genres from opera to hip-hop. Roughly
2,500 words in length, each article sketches a subject’s life, describes their work
and its significance to its genre, and includes commentary from critic.
Science and Engineering
American Men and Women of Science
Reference QC 141 .A47
Includes biographical entries on approximately 120,000 living scientists, providing
birthdate, birthplace, field of specialty, education, honorary degrees, current position,
professional and career information, awards, memberships, research information, and
addresses for each entrant where available. Volume 8 of the set is a comprehensive index
listing scientists by field, and by state under field.
Biographical Dictionary of American Science: The Seventeenth Through Nineteenth Centuries
Reference Q 141 .E37
Has entries for nearly 600 individuals. Entries include scientist's full name, date
and place of birth and death, field(s), names of parents, spouse and children, education,
honors, career, scientific contributions, works and works about.
Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Reference Q 141 .D5
Contains lengthy articles with bibliographies, written by historians of science, on
prominent deceased scientists from antiquity to the twentieth-century. Includes engineers
and physicians only in so far as they were noted for scientific achievements, and has
few entries on women or black scientists.
Who in Science and Engineering
Reference Q 141 .W576
Provides key biographical facts on more than 30,000 individuals in all areas of pure
and applied science and engineering. Entries include personal data, achievements, discoveries,
research findings, patents, and career history. The entries in the latest edition are
available in the online database
Biography Resource
Center (above).
Science in Europe: A Biographical Guide to Science, Technology, Agriculture, and Medicine
Reference Q 145 .W5 1995
A comprehensive directory of profiles of senior scientists undertaking research and
development in the areas of science, technology, agriculture, and medicine from 36 European
countries. Arranged alphabetically by surname, each entry includes name, year of birth,
present position, interests, education, telephone and fax number, and postal address.
Social Sciences
Biographical Dictionary of Psychology
Reference BF 109 .A1 B56 1997
Entries on 500 persons who made important contributions to modern psychology from the
mid-nineteenth century to the early 1990s. Signed entries, written by an international
team of contributors, vary in length from a paragraph to several pages for prominent
individuals. The majority of individuals profiled are European or North American. Each
entry gives name, date and place of birth and death, nationality, main area of interest
in psychology, education, appointments, honors and awards, principal publications, further
reading (sources of critical, appreciative, or analytical accounts of the person's main
work), intellectual development, and main ideas, including an assessment of influence.
The volume concludes with four indexes: by name, interests (using the American Psychological
Association categories), institution, and key terms and concepts.
Biographical Dictionary of Social Welfare in America
Reference HV 27 .B57 1986
Features more than 300 articles, alphabetically arranged and three to four pages in
length, on activists (as opposed to theorists or philanthropists). A bibliography is
appended to each profile. Appendixes offer a chronology of significant events and a
list of subjects by year and place of birth.
International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences: Volume 18, Biographical Supplement
Reference H 40 .A2 I5 1968
Provides signed sketches, with bibliographies, of 215 social scientists either deceased
or born no later than 1908.
International Dictionary of Anthropologists
Reference GN 20 .I5 1991
Contains biographical entries for 725 anthropologists born before 1920, from more than
50 countries. Each sketch includes an explanation of the individual's significance to
the discipline, a list of major works written by, and a list of additional sources about,
the person. Indexed by personal names, institutions, place names, and ethnic groups.
indicates
key source 