Biography

 
Books Indexes to Biographical Dictionaries & Encyclopedias Biographical Dictionaries & Encyclopedias Periodical Articles

I. Finding books on a particular person

MaagNet [online public access catalog (OPAC)]
Look here for books, government documents and other materials (not journal articles) owned by Maag Library.  Search by subject, using the person's name (last name first) or profession. Check Library Material Location and Availability and the Building Guide for assistance in locating materials listed in MaagNet. Registered borrowers may check out books available in Maag Library at the Circulation Desk, Main Floor. See Borrowing Books for more information.
For search tips and information see Library Information (from the MaagNet menu).
Examples of subject headings:
Proper Names Professions
Truman, Margaret  Architects--Biography
Emerson, Ralph Waldo   Nurses--United States--Biography
Mao Tse Tung Philosophers--Biography
Garcia Marquez, Gabriel United States. President (1977-1981 : Carter)
OhioLINK Central Catalog
Look here for books not available at Maag but available at other Ohio colleges and universities.  It takes 3-5 working days (M-F) for books requested over the computer. Search by subject, using the person's name (last name first) or profession. Check your circulation record to see if the book you requested has arrived. Once the book is here, pick up and check out at the Circulation Desk. See Borrowing Books for more information.
For search help see Search Tips and Information About the OhioLINK Central Catalog.
 WorldCat (only available through the YSU campus computer network)
Search by subject, using the person's name (last name first) or profession.  Books not available in Maag Library or from OhioLINK institutions may be requested through Interlibrary Loan.
See Borrowing Books for more information.
For WorldCat search tips see guide to OCLC FirstSearch databases.

II.  Finding Information in Biographical Dictionaries and Encyclopedias

The library has hundreds of compilations of biographies in encyclopedia or dictionary format. Some of them, like the "Who's Who..." sources have very brief information. Others like Contemporary Authors or the multivolume Dictionary of Literary Biography have articles of several pages. Since there are so many sources to chose from, it is usually a good idea to check the Biography and Genealogy Master Index first.
 

Master Indexes

Ref. Z 5305 .U5H57
Biography and Genealogy Master Index. Consists of two compilations  (1980 and 1985) of several volumes each plus yearly supplements. This is called a master index because it indexes other indexes as well as biographical dictionaries and encyclopedias. Check here first under the name you are searching for. You may have to check several years. You will have to determine your search strategy based on when your subject is/was most active. For example, if your subject is active at the present time, you would start with the latest volume and work back.

Additionally, you may consult the following specialized master indexes:

Ref. N 40 .A78 1986
Artist Biographies Master Index

Ref. Z 5304 .A8 A88
Author Biographies Master Index

Ref. Z 7164 .C81B928 1987
Business Biographies Master Index

Ref. Z1037 .A1N18 1987
Children's Authors and Illustrators: An Index to Biographical Dictionaries

Ref. Z5305 .U5H57
Historical Biographies Master Index

Ref. Z 6940 .J58
Journalist Biographies Master Index

Ref. PN 1583 .L3
Theatre, Film and Television Biographies Master Index

Ref. Z5304 .A8T83 1984
Twentieth Century Author Biographies Master Index

Ref. Z 1037.A1 W74 1989
Writers for Young Adults: Biographies Master Index
 
 

Biographical Encyclopedias and Dictionaries

The references listed below represent commonly used biographical sources.  First check the master indexes (above) unless you know for sure which volume or year to look in.

Ref. CT 213 .A68 1999 (24 vols.)
American National Biography.  The successor to the Dictionary of American Biography (see below). A historical work (does not include living persons) with a broader scope than the DAB.

Ref. E 176 .A65 (7 vols.)
Appleton's Cyclopedia of American Biography.  Superseded somewhat by the Dictionary of American Biography.  Includes citizens of Canada & Latin America as well as the U.S.

Ref. Z 1224 .C59
Contemporary Authors.  Biographical sketches of writers; includes bibliographical references. Use the online database or check Gale's Literary Index for exact volume and references to additional information.

Ref. CT .C8 (1940 to date)
Current Biography. This is a monthly publication with annual cumulations. Provides brief biographical essays.  It is also indexed in the above indexes; it has its own 10-year indexes as well.

Ref. E 176 .D56
Dictionary of American Biography.  Signed scholarly articles on noteworthy persons of the U.S. (including the colonial period). Does not include living persons.

(Call numbers vary)
Dictionary of Literary Biography.  Check the person's name in the cumulative index in the latest volume, or Gale's Literary Index  to determine which volume to consult.

Ref. DA 28 .D45
Dictionary of National Biography.  Signed scholarly articles on persons of the British Isles and Colonies. Does not include living persons.

Ref. CT 103 .M27 (12 vols.)
McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of World Biography.

Ref. DA 28 .W65 (1897-1980)
Who Was Who. Brief biographical sketches of persons previously listed in Who's Who but now deceased. British emphasis.

Ref. E 176 .W64 (1607-1989)
Who Was Who in America. Brief biographical sketches of persons previously listed in Who's Who in America but now deceased.

Ref. DA 28 .W655
Who's Who. Includes persons living at the time of publication.  Has British emphasis. It includes some persons of international renown. Check the Master Indexes (above) first to know which year to search.

Ref. E 176 .W642
Who's Who in America. Includes persons living at the time of publication.  This biographical dictionary is published every two years. It is indexed in the Master Index listed above, so check there first. If the person you are looking for is listed in this dictionary, the Master Indexes will tell you which year to look in.
 

III. Finding Information in Periodicals or Full-Text Databases

To find a reference to biographical information in a magazine, journal, or newspaper, search the person's name or profession as a subject in a print index or online database.  Check a general or subject specific index or database for articles on a particular person. Some suggestions are listed below.

For assistance in finding information in the OhioLINK Research Databases, see the guide Locating Biographical Information Using OhioLINK Research Databases.

Ref. Z 5301.B5 (1946 to date; online 1984 to date)
Biography Index. This is an index to biographies that may be found in books and/or periodical articles. However, if you first check the Biography and Genealogy Master Index (see above), it will tell you if your subject (person) is even indexed here, saving you from having to look in each volume of this index.

Ref. Z 7401 .G46 (1978/79 to date.  Latest 3 years on Index Tables).
General Science Index.

Ref.  AI 3 .H85 (1974/75 to date. Online 1984 to date as Humanities Abstracts).
Humanities Index.  References to disciplines in the humanities, including the arts, literature, history, philosophy and religion.

Lexis-Nexis (Academic Universe).  (Available only on campus). Select the category Reference then Biographical Information.

Ref. AI 21 .N45 (1851 to date).
New York Times Index. Check this index (located in Reference) for articles from the New York Times newspaper available on Microfilm X 2000 in the Microform Center, lower level.

Newsbank Newsfile Collection (1991 to current). (Available only on campus). Includes full-text articles on people and professions from U.S. newspapers and newswires.

Microform Center
NewsBank's Names in the News [Index] (1981-1995). Index to the NewsBank Names in the News articles (Microfiche X184)

Newspaper Abstracts Full database: 1989 to present, Current: 1997-Present.  Indexes articles from major U.S. newspapers. We have microfilm of only four of the newspapers indexed here--The New York Times (Microfilm X 2000), The Los Angeles Times (1993 to date, Microfilm X 2001), The Washington Post (Microfilm X 842), The Wall Street Journal (Microfilm X 468).

Periodical Abstracts (1986 to present). A general database of periodical information, consisting of popular and scholarly sources in a variety of subjects. Contains some full-text articles.

Ref. AI 3 .R48 (1900 to date.  Latest 3 years on Index Tables).
Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature.

Ref. AI 3 .S62 (June 1974 to date.  Latest 3 years on Index Tables).
Social Sciences Index.  References to the periodical literature of the social sciences including business, criminology, education, political science, sociology

Ref. AI 21 .T457 etc. (1785 to date)
The Times (London). Check this index for articles from the London Times newspaper which are available on Microfilm X 399 in the Microform Center, lower level.

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Last updated 10/25//99