Reference Books
There are a wide variety of reference books that may be useful when searching for biographical information. Below is a list of some of the more widely used biographical reference books we own. Books are arranged in call number order. Annotations are provided for some books.
General Biography and Indexes
- Biography and genealogy master index : a consolidated index to more than 3,200,000 biographical sketches in over 350 current and retrospective biographical dictionariesCall Number: CT213 .B562 (index section near literary biography collection in reference)Probably the best print index for biography that the library owns. Be sure to check all volumes to be thorough.
Biographical indexes can be particularly useful in identifying biographical information from many different sources. They are often a good starting point if you're not finding larger biographical works such as full length books in the library's collection.
- Biography IndexCall Number: Z5301 .B5 (index section near literary biography collection in reference)
General Biography
- Current biography yearbookCall Number: CT100 .C81
- American National Biography byCall Number: CT213 .A68 1999ISBN: 0195206355Publication Date: 1999Originally published in 1999, the 24-volume American National Biography provides broad coverage of notable figures in American history from the earliest recorded contact of Europeans in North America to the near present.
- Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 2001-2004 byCall Number: DA28 .O95 2004ISBN: 9780199562442Publication Date: 2009The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography is a collection of 50,000 specially written biographies of men and women who have shaped all aspects of the British past, from the earliest times to the end of the year 2000, from the ancient (explorer Pytheas of the 4th Century BC) to the modern (Princess Diana)
- Who's whoCall Number: DA28 .W6There are numerous Who's who books, any of which may be integral in your search for biographical information. Search the catalog or browse the reference collection for additional titles. Regularly updated.
Literary Biography
The library has an excellent collection of biographical reference works for literary figures. Much of the best literary biography information are found in Gale publications, which you can search via the Literary Index database (link is to database LibGuide).
- Contemporary authorsCall Number: Z1224 .C6 (literary biography collection in reference)One of the very best sources for biographical information on authors. Be sure to use the index at the back of the most recent volume or, better yet, the Literary Index database to search all Gale literary reference works.
- Dictionary of literary biographyCall Number: PS21 .D5 (literary biography collection in reference)Currently more than 350 volumes in this definitive literary biography reference work. Indexed in the Literary Index database.
- Dictonary of literary biography (online version)Search and browse the DLB online.
- Contemporary poets, dramatists, essayists, and novelists of the South : a bio-bibliographical sourcebook byCall Number: PS261 .C568 1994 (in reference collection)This reference presents profiles of 50 modern Southern writers of essays, poems, drama, and novels.
- An Encyclopedia of British women writers byCall Number: PR111 .E54 1988 (in reference collection)Contributions from some 125 scholars provide a comprehensive critical reference guide to nearly 400 authors.
- Encyclopedia of British writersCall Number: PR451 .E55 2003 (in reference collection)Profiles, and serves as a critical reading guide to, some 800 British writers of diverse genres and subjects.
- Popular contemporary writers byCall Number: PS228.P67 P67 2006 (in reference collection)From Douglas Adams to Tobias Wolff.
- American women writers : a critical reference guide from colonial times to the present byCall Number: PS147 .A4 (in reference collection)
- Something about the authorCall Number: PN451 .S6 (literary biography collection in reference)The best biographical source for children's authors and illustrators.
- Something about the author (online)Search and browse the series online.
Other Biographical Reference Books
- Black women in America byCall Number: E185.86 .B542 2005Three-volume reference is vibrant with stories of remarkable women--325 biographies--and discussion of topics pertaining to arts, culture, family, gender, law, occupations, politics, religion, science, and sports
There are numerous other reference books for biography. This list does not pretend to be all-encompassing. Remember, even if "biography" isn't specifically stated in the title, it may still contain information on notable figures related to the book's subject.
- The African American national biography byCall Number: E185.96 .A4466 2008Over 4,000 entries written and signed by distinguished scholars.
- Contemporary Black biographyCall Number: E185.96 .C66Excellent source for black biography. Updated regularly with new volumes.
- Women in world history : a biographical encyclopedia byCall Number: HQ1115 .W6 1999
- The International year book and statesmen's who's who.Call Number: JA51 .I57Good for political biographies.
- Directory of American scholars.Call Number: LA2311 .D57 1999Current biographies of more than 30,000 scholars in the humanities.
- The New Grove dictionary of music and musicians byCall Number: ML100 .N48 198020 volumes. Older volumes are available for checkout from the general collection.
- Musicians and composers of the 20th century byCall Number: ML105 .M883 2009
- Biographical encyclopedia of artistsCall Number: N40 .B535 2005
- Dictionary of American military biography byCall Number: U52 .D53 1984
