Finding Biographical Information
How much do you need?
The first step is to decide how much information you need about the person you are researching because that will have a major effect on where you look.
If you need a full-length biography…
You will want to look in the library’s online catalog. Some libraries have a special section for biographies, but most college libraries’ biographies are shelved with other books on the same topic. For example, biographies of artists are shelved with books on their art work.
If you already know the title of the book you want, use the Title search in the catalog.
If you are looking for the biography of a specific person, use the Keyword search and type in the person’s first and last names plus biography, for example "+grandma +moses +biography."
If you are looking for a biography of someone in a specific discipline, use the Keyword search and type in the discipline plus biography, for example "+artists +biography."
If you need smaller amounts of information…
The second step in looking for biographical information is to focus your search. Many sources of brief biographies are dedicated to specific subjects such as writers, scientists, etc. Some cover only living people, some only dead, some only Americans. Listed below are some of the more common sources. Librarians can point you to many more.
Print Sources:
Current Biography (call# CT100 .C8 Reference)
Two to three page articles on a wide variety of individuals beginning in 1940
Dictionary of American Biography (call# E176 .D563 Reference)
Over 20 volumes with detailed articles on Americans no longer living. Be sure to check the cumulative index at the end of the supplement volumes.
Who’s Who in America? (call# E176 .W642 Reference)
Very brief articles on a wide variety of people
Biographical Dictionary of Scientists (call# QB35 .B56)
Short articles of scientists of the world
Online Sources:
Wilson Biographies
Available to OCTC students from the home page (with IDs and passwords off campus). Includes Current biography, authors, composers, artists, film directors, musicians, songwriters.
Periodical Databases
Available to OCTC students from the home page (with IDs and passwords off campus). OCTC has the full-text from over 5,000 magazines, journals, and newspapers. If the person you are researching has not been famous for long, articles in periodicals may be your only source of information.
Online Encyclopedias:
Available to OCTC students from the databases webpage (with IDs and passwords off campus).
Mostly historical figures, but will have some contemporary as well.
Biography.com
Available on the web at www.biography.com. Very short entries on approximately 20,000 people. Those currently in the news emphasized.