Finding Biographical Information

This guide presents a selection of sources in the Peterson Library that will help you find information about people's lives. Use our catalog to find more resources, and search the Internet -- carefully and critically -- for additional websites. We also have more general guides that may prove useful, such as Finding Articles, Using the UNH Library Catalog, and citation Style Guides, among others. 

You can find this and all Library Guides on the library's home page. Come to the Information Desk for assistance with your research, call us at (203) 932-7189 or e-mail us.

[Note: This online guide contains direct links to databases and websites. To locate any of the sites listed if you have printed out this guide, simply type in the name of the organization in Google or another search engine to find a link to the site.]

Library Home Page

Go to the Peterson Library home page and take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with it. Go directly to the library home page or start at the UNH website and click on "Library."  There are several important links on our home page, including the following:

• Alphabetical List of Databases is an A-Z list of titles and links to available databases.
• Annotated List of Databases gives brief descriptions, links to the databases, search tips, publications included, etc.
• Subject List of Databases sorts them into groups like Business, Education, Health, etc.
• Journals at the MKP Library lists periodicals available electronically and in the library.
• Library Guides gives you our subject, research, and style guides, with live links to recommended websites.
• Library Catalog enables you to search the library's collections.

Library Catalog

Use the library catalog to find circulating and reference materials, including books, audio-visual holdings, government documents, and periodical titles (for periodical articles, see the "Journals" section, below). Our catalog uses the Library of Congress (LC) classification system and subject headings. LC assigns call numbers (letters and numerals) according to the book's primary subject. Academic libraries shelve their biographies and autobiographies with the books that pertain to the subject area of the person discussed in the biography. For example, Martha Stewart's biography is found in the "TX" section, along with other books on cooking and home economics.

Basics of searching for biographies:

• First choose the type of search you want, by selecting from among the many options offered: keyword, subject, author, title, etc.
• Then place the cursor in the "find this" box and type in the words you want to search.
• To find a book-length biography or autobiography, try a keyword or subject search on the person's name. (When doing a subject search, use this format: last name, first name.)
• Some subject searches to try: musicians biography; athletes biography; millionaires united states biography; inventors united states biography; businessmen united states biography; religious biography; actors great britain biography; actors united states biography; actresses great britain biography; actresses united states biography; military biography; presidents' spouses united states biography; presidents united states biography; statesmen united states biography; women biography; authors, american 20^th century biography; authors, english 19^th century biography.

General search tips:

• Sort results by "Publish date descending" to get newest items at the top of the list.
• Click on the "Bibliographic" tab to determine the LC subject headings for an item and then click on those headings to link to additional material with the same subject.
• Always click on the "Linked Resources" tab to check for electronic access to single items. In multiple-result searches, the URL box at the right of the screen is a reminder to look for a web link on the next page (or click on "Linked Resources").

For additional search tips, consult the library guide on Using the UNH Library Catalog (OPAC).

Interlibrary Loan

UNH students, faculty and staff can use our Interlibrary Loan (ILL) service for materials we do not own. ILL request forms for books and articles are available at the library Information Desk, and online from the library's website. You should complete a separate ILL request form for each item requested. Bibliographic citations should be as accurate and complete as possible. Incorrect or incomplete information, such as abbreviations or lack of a publication date, will slow down receipt of material.

Some Reference and Circulating Books

Reference materials, such as encyclopedias, dictionaries and statistical compilations are a good place to start research. They are kept in the reference stacks on the library's entry level and can be used in the library. Circulating materials are shelved in open stacks on the second and third levels of the library and may be borrowed. The following is a sample of the books available. "Ref." before the call number means that the book is kept in the Reference stacks.

Current Biography Yearbook. Extensive biographies of people in the news in the U.S. and overseas. Photographs often included.  Lists of references for further research. Ref. CT100 .C8 

Dictionary of American Biography. Detailed scholarly essays on prominent deceased Americans. Bibliographies are included. This edition consists of 10 volumes with supplements. Ref. E176 .D563 

Dictionary of National Biography. The lengthy articles include bibliographies. Ref. DA28 .D47 

Who Was Who in America. Concise biographies of deceased Americans who appeared in earlier editions of Who's Who in America. Ref. E663 .W56 

Who's Who in America. Brief biographical sketches of prominent Americans, as well as a few foreigners with influence in the U.S.  Published annually, this work includes birth dates, work history, education, affiliations, publications and addresses. Ref. E663 .W56 

Who's Who in the East. Brief biographical sketches of prominent individuals from the eastern United States including Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington, D.C. A professional index is also included. Ref. E747 .W6

Who's Who in the World. Brief biographical sketches of men and women from more than 150 countries. Ref. CT120 .W5

♦♦Specific Groups, Professions or Categories:

♦African-Americans:
The African-American Encyclopedia. Ref. E185 .A253 1993
Black Women in America. Ref. E185.86.B542 1993, vols. 1-2
Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and History. Ref. E186 .E54 1995
Encyclopedia of Black America. Ref. E185 .E55
Notable Black American Men. Ref. E185.86.N68 1999

♦Artists:
Bryan's Dictionary of Painters and Engravers. Ref. N40 .B945 vols. 1-5
Encyclopedia of World Art.  Ref. N31 .E533 vols. 1-15
Larousse Dictionary of Painters. Ref. ND35 .L3713 1981
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Art. Ref. N33 .M23
Prestel Dictionary of Art and Artists in the 20^th Century. Ref. N33 .P74 2000
Who's Who in American Art.  Ref. N6536 .W5

♦Economists:
Lives of the Laureates: Seven Nobel Economists. HB76 .L58 1986
The New Palgrave: A Dictionary of Economics. Ref. HB61 .N49 1998, vols. 1-4
Who's Who in Economics. Ref. HB76 .W47 1986
The Worldly Philosophers: The Lives, Times, and Ideas of the Great Economic Thinkers. HB76 .H4 1986

♦Educators:
National Faculty Directory. Ref. L901 .N34

♦History:
Dictionary of American History. Ref. E174 .D522 1983
Encyclopedia of the Third Reich. Ref. DD256.5.S57
Encyclopedia of Western Gunfighters. Ref. F596 .O65
Lives of the Tudor Age. Ref. DA317 .H65
The Roman Emperors. Ref. DG274 .G73 1989
Rulers and Governments of the World. Ref. D11.5.R67 1977
Who Was Who During the American Revolution. Ref. E206 .W46

♦Law/Criminal Justice:
Cops, Crooks, and Criminologists: An International Biographical Dictionary of Law Enforcement. Ref. HV7911.A1 .A94 1996
The Encyclopedia of Organized Crime in the United States. Ref. HV6446 .K43 2000
The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers. Ref. HV6245 .N49 2000
The Encyclopedia of Terrorism. Ref. HV6431 .K883 2003
Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory. Ref. K68 .M38 Also available from the database LexisNexis Academic Universe, under "Legal Research." 
The Murderers' Who's Who: Outstanding International Cases From the Literature of Murder in the Last 150 Years. HV6245 .G38 1979

♦Literature/Authors:
American Authors, 1600-1900. Ref. PS21 .K8
American Literary Scholarship. Ref. PS3 .A47
American Women Writers. Ref. PS147 .A4
British Authors Before 1800. Ref. PR105.9
British Authors of the Nineteenth Century. Ref. PR451 .K8 1936
Contemporary Authors. Ref. Z1224 .C59
Contemporary Dramatists. Ref. PR737 .C57 1999
Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ref. PN771 .C59
Contemporary Poets. Ref. PR603 .C57 1999
Dictionary of Literary Biography (various call numbers)
Literature Criticism from 1400 to 1800. Ref. PN86 .L53 1984
Nineteenth-Century Literature Criticism. Ref. PN761 .N5, vols. 1-14
Twentieth Century Authors. Ref. PN771 .K86
Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism. Ref. PN771 .T9, vols. 1-52
Who Was Who in Literature, 1906-1934. Ref. PR106 .W5
World Authors, 1950-1970. Ref. PN451 .W3

♦Musicians:
Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians. Ref. ML105 .B16 1958
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Ref. ML102.P66 .G84 1998
The New Grove Dictionary of American Music. Ref. ML101.U6 N48 1986
Who's Who in Opera. Ref. ML102.06 W5

♦Political Leaders:
Biographical Directory of the American Congress, 1774-1961. Ref. JK1010 .U5 1961
The Blue Book: Leaders of the English-Speaking World. Ref. CT120 .B55
The Presidents: A Reference History. Ref. E176.1.P918 1984

♦Scientists:
American Men and Women of Science. Ref. Q141 .A474
Dictionary of Scientific Biography. Ref. Q141 .D5

♦Theatre and Film:
Actor Guide to the Talkies. Ref. PN1998 .D53
The Cambridge Guide to World Theatre. Ref. PN2035 .C27 1988
Contemporary Theatre, Film, & Television. Ref. PN2208 .C6
Famous People on Film. Ref. CT86.Z9 .E45
The Film Encyclopedia. Ref. PN1993.45.K34 1994
Halliwell's Filmgoer's and Video Viewer's Companion. Ref. PN1993.45.H28 1993
The Movie Makers. Ref. PN1998.A2 C46
The Oxford Companion to the Theatre. Ref. PN2035 .H3 1957

♦Women:
Black Women in America. Ref.  E185.86.B542 1993, vols. 1-2
Great Women in American History [videorecording]. HQ1410 .G7 1996. Permanent Reserve -- ask at Circulation Desk.
International Dictionary of Women's Biography. Ref. CT3202 .I57
Notable American Women, 1607-1950. Ref. CT3260 N57
Notable American Women: The Modern Period. Ref. CT3260 .N573
Who's Who of American Women. Ref. E176 .W647 
Women in Particular: An Index to American Women. Ref. HQ412 .H47

♦♦Samples of Individual Biographies:

 ♦Athletes:
Jackie Robinson: A Life Remembered. GV865.R6 A74 1987
King of the World: Muhammad Ali and the Rise of the American Hero. GV1132.A44 R46 1999x
Ty Cobb. GV865.C6 A65 1984 

♦Actors and Actresses:
Haunted Idol: The Story of the Real Cary Grant. PN2287.G675 W3 1992
Kate: The Life of Katharine Hepburn. PN2287.H45 H54 
Rock Hudson: His Story. PN2287.H75 A3 1986
Still Me (Christopher Reeve). PN2287.R292 A3 1998b
This Life (Sidney Poitier). PN2287.P57 A37 

♦Artists:
Andrei Rublev [videorecording]. PN1995.9.A73 A5 1992. Permanent Reserve -- ask at Circulation Desk.
Ansel Adams, An Autobiography. TR140.A3 A33 1985
Dali. N7113.D3 M32 
Edvard Munch [videorecording]. PN1995.9.A73 E5 1994. Permanent Reserve -- ask at Circulation Desk.
Isadora Duncan; Her Life, Her Art, Her Legacy. GV1785.D8 T4 
John Singer Sargent, His Portrait. ND237.S3 O4 1986
Pollock (Jackson Pollock) [video recording]. ND237.P73 P65 2001. Permanent Reserve -- ask at Circulation Desk.
Portrait of an Artist: A Biography of Georgia O'Keeffe. ND237.O5 L57 1986
 

♦Authors:
Before Night Falls (Reinaldo Arenas) [videorecording]. PN1995.9.L37 B5 2000. Permanent Reserve -- ask at Circulation Desk.
Dickens. PR4582 .A25 1990
Gertrude Stein. PS3537.T323 Z67 1990
Hemingway: The Final Years. PS3515.E37 Z75469 1999
In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens: Womanist Prose (Alice Walker). PS3573.A425 Z467 1983
Kerouac and Friends: A Beat Generation Album. PS228.B6 K47 1985
The Late Mrs. Dorothy Parker. PS3531.A5855 Z65 1986
The Life of Jane Austen. PR4036 .H24 1984b
Rod Serling: The Dreams and Nightmares of Life in the Twilight Zone: A Biography. PS3537.E654 Z63 1989
Unquiet Soul: A Biography of Charlotte Brontë. PR4168 .P38 
Virginia Woolf, A Writer's Life. PR6045.O72 Z653 1984b
William Shakespeare: A Biography. PR2894.P6 1983

♦Businesspeople and Innovators:
Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist. HG172.B84 L69 2001
Conrad Hilton: Innkeeper of the World [videorecording]. E748.H55 C6 1996. Permanent Reserve -- ask at Circulation Desk.
The Guggenheims: An American Epic. HC102.G8 D38
Henry Ford: The Wayward Capitalist. HD9710.U52 G35 
Martha Inc.: The Incredible Story of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. TX140.S74 B97 2002
Masters of the Universe: Winning Strategies of America's Greatest Deal Makers. HC102.5.A2 K34 1999
Mr. Kaiser Goes to Washington: The Rise of a Government Entrepreneur. HC102.5.K3 A43 1997
No Such Thing as Over-Exposure: Inside the Life and Celebrity of Donald Trump. HC102.5.T78 S58 2005
On Her Own Ground: the Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker. HD9970.5.C672 W3533 2001

♦Military Leaders:
Patton: Ordeal and Triumph. E745.P3 F3 
The War Lords: Military Commanders of the Twentieth Century. U51 .W32 1976
Who's Who in Military History: From 1453 to the Present Day. Ref. U51 .K43 1976

♦Musicians:
Beethoven. ML410.B4 S64 
Beyond Category: The Life and Genius of Duke Ellington. ML410.E44 H37 1993
Blackbird: The Life and Times of Paul McCartney. ML410.M115 G58 1991b
Brother Ray: Ray Charles' Own Story. ML420.C459 A3 
Buried Alive; The Biography of Janis Joplin. ML420.J77 F7
Faithfull: An Autobiography (Marianne Faithfull). ML420.P96 J83 1997
Hendrix; A Biography. ML410.H476 W5 1973
I, Tina (Tina Turner). ML420.T95 A3 1986
Louis Armstrong, An American Genius. ML419.A75 C64 1983
Mozart. ML410.M9 H433
The Real Frank Zappa Book. ML410.Z285 A3 1989
Riders on the Storm: My Life with Jim Morrison and the Doors. ML419.D46 A3 1991
Stevie Wonder. ML420.W66 E4 1977
Women in Music: A Biobibliography. Ref. ML105 .H6

♦Notorious Persons:
Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer (Aileen Wuornos) [videorecording]. PN1995.9.S297 A55 2004. Permanent Reserve -- ask at Circulation Desk.
Al Capone; The Biography of a Self-Made Man. HV6248.C17 P3 1971
Caril (Caril Ann Fugate). HV6248.F83 B43
The Case of Mary Bell; A Portrait of a Child Who Murdered. KD373.B44 S47 1973
Heidi Fleiss: Hollywood Madam [videorecording]. PN1995.9.P76 H5 1996. Permanent Reserve -- ask at Circulation Desk.
Reinhard Heydrich: The Chilling Story of the Man Who Masterminded the Nazi Death Camps. DD247.H42 C3513 1985 
Son of Sam: Based on the Authorized Transcription of the Tapes, Official Documents and Diaries of David Berkowitz. HV6248.B483 K55 

♦Religious and Spiritual Figures:
Billy Graham, Evangelist to the World: An Authorized Biography of the Decisive Years. BV3785.G69 P597
Brigham Young: American Moses. BX8695.Y7 A85 1985
My Land and My People, by His Holiness, the Dalai Lama of Tibet. BL1489.N44 A3 
Twelve World Teachers: A Summary of Their Lives and Teachings. BL72 .H3 1973 (Jesus, Buddha, Confucius, Plato, etc.).

 ♦Scientists:
Albert Schweitzer: A Biography. CT1098.S45 B7 1975
Edison, Inventing the Century. TK140.E3 B25 1995
Einstein: The Life and Mind of Albert Einstein [videorecording]. QC16.E5 A64 1995. Permanent Reserve -- ask at Circulation Desk.
Einstein: The Life and Times. QC16.E5 C5

♦World Leaders:
Abraham Lincoln, The Man Behind the Myths. E457.O16 1984
Adolf Hitler, A Portrait in Tyranny. DD247.H5 D7
All Too Human: A Political Education (Bill Clinton). E840.8.S675 1999
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin: A Genetic Text. E302.6.F7 A2 1981
The Autobiography of Malcolm X. BP223.Z8 L57943 1992
An Autobiography; The Story of My Experiments with Truth (Mahatma Gandhi). DS481.F3 A356 
Catherine the Great. DK170.T7613 1980
Churchill [videorecording]. DA566.9.C5 C58 1990. Permanent Reserve -- ask at Circulation Desk.
Eleanor Roosevelt [videorecording]. E807.1.R7 E43 2000. Permanent Reserve -- ask at Circulation Desk.
Eleanor Roosevelt: A Personal and Public Life. E807.1.R48 Y68 1985
Elizabeth I; A Biography. DA355 .J6 
FDR: A Biography. E807 .M75 1985
Founding Father: Rediscovering George Washington. E312 .B85 1996
Gandhi [videorecording]. DS481.G3 G213 1990. Permanent Reserve -- ask at Circulation Desk.
Henry VIII and the English Reformation. DA332 .S57 
JFK, A Presidency Revealed (John F. Kennedy) [videorecording]. E842 .J44 2003. Permanent Reserve -- ask at Circulation Desk.
JFK, The Presidency of John F. Kennedy. E842 .P34 1983
Let the Trumpet Sound: The Life of Martin Luther King, Jr. E185.97.K5 O18 1982
Mao: A Biography (Mao Zedong). DS778.M3 T45 1980
Mary Queen of Scots. DA787.A1 F74 1978
Mussolini. From the Heroes and Tyrants of the Twentieth Century Series [videorecording]. DG575.M8 M625 1990. Permanent Reserve -- ask at Circulation Desk.
Peter the Great. DK131 .A49 1978
Stalin; The Man and His Era. DK268.S8 U4 1973
Thomas Jefferson. E332.2.B58 
Victoria: An Intimate Biography (Queen Victoria of Great Britain). DA555 .W45 1987

Print Indexes and Electronic Databases

An index allows you to search for citations to articles without having to browse through the publication page by page. Most commercial databases are electronic indexes to periodical literature and often provide the full text of the articles cited. In addition, our Serials Solutions journal-linking service will frequently offer you "Find full text"-type links to other databases or tell you the availability of periodicals in the library.

Enter your 16-digit UNH ID number when requested. Select databases by title or provider, or use the Subject List. Use the Annotated List of Databases on the library home page for search tips, publications included, user's guides, tutorials, and links for each database.

Listed below are electronic databases (and one print index) that may be helpful to you. For a complete list of our electronic resources, see our  Annotated List of Databases.

Biography Index. An excellent source of information about Americans from all time periods, Biography Index is available in print format. The print version of Biography Index (1946-present; Ref. Z5301 .B5) will direct you to periodical articles and some books published since 1946 that contain biographies. This index includes references to collections of letters, diaries, memoirs, obituaries (including those from the New York Times) and bibliographies. Biography Index is arranged alphabetically and includes a useful index by professions and occupations at the back.  

Expanded Academic ASAP is a database that contains some biographical information within journal articles. Some articles are full text.  

FirstSearch. Some subject areas that may be searched for biographical information include Arts & Humanities, Business & Economics, Education, Science, Social Sciences, Engineering and Technology, Public Affairs and Law. Available in the library only. Ask at the Information Desk for a librarian to log you on with a password.

Historic Documents from iConn provides links to information on historic events and figures.

History Reference Center is helpful for those doing school research but also of interest to fans of history. Included in this database are journals, books (including reference works), biographies, documents, speeches, maps, photos, film and video clips.

InfoTrac OneFile. A one-stop source for news and periodical articles on a wide range of topics: art; business; computers; current events; economics; education; environmental issues; health care; hobbies; humanities; law; literature; politics; science; social sciences; sports; technology; and many general interest topics. Millions of full-text articles, many with images. Updated daily. Use the "Subject Guide" to search for people, then narrow by subdivision to "Biography."

LexisNexis Academic Universe is an online database that provides full text documents. A few of the files containing directories of biographical material include The Associated Press Candidate Biographies as well as some versions of Who's Who, such as Who's Who in European Business from 1997. The Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory is a legal directory that lists details on more than 900,000 lawyers and law firms around the world. This directory is located under "Legal Research."

Literature Resource Center provides access to biographies, bibliographies, and critical analyses of authors from every age and literary discipline. LRC covers more than 120,000 novelists, poets, essayists, journalists, and other writers.

Literature Resources from iConn. Select "Additional Research Resources" from the iConn home page and scroll down to "Literature."  Listed are several pages of links to information on literature, authors, and poetry. 

ProQuest Newspapers and ProQuest Historical Newspapers. Search major U.S. newspapers alone or together. The Historical Newspapers collection includes digital reproductions that provide access to every page from every available issue. Because of the database's size, Historical Newspapers cannot be searched in combination with the regular ProQuest Newspapers collection.

Science Reference Center is helpful for all science research projects. Included in this database are reference books, journals, biographies, and images.

Selected Internet Resources

The Internet provides much valuable information. As with any material you use, evaluate your sources. This can be challenging with the Internet, since it is not always apparent who is responsible for the information on a particular page found via a Google or Yahoo! search. Look for a home page and an "About Us" link. Consider how qualified the organization or person is to provide the information, whether they have an agenda or particular point of view, how up-to-date the information is, and how it affects the point you want to make. Following is a selection of useful websites.

4000 Years of Women In Science. Maintained by Dr. Deborah Crocker at the University of Alabama and Dr. Sethanne Howard (Ret.) from the US Naval Observatory.

ALA: Internet Resources: Twentieth-century Authors. A collection of sites appearing in the American Library Association's College & Research Libraries News.

Anthropology Biography Web (Minnesota State University, Mankato)

Astronaut Biographies (NASA)

Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress.

Also available in print in the library. Ref. JK1010 .U5 1989 

Biographies, from the Internet Public Library (School of Information, University of Michigan)

Biographies of Biologists. Free information from BIOSIS, published by Thomson Scientific.

Biography.com from A&E

First Ladies of the USA (an official White House site)

Infoplease.com: Biography

Internet Movie Database (IMDB). You can go directly to their alphabetical biographies index.

Life in The White House (an official U.S. White House site)

Mathematicians: Index of Biographies (School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St. Andrews, Scotland)

National Inventors Hall of Fame

Naxos: Classical Music: Composers

Nobel Prize.org: The Ultimate Source for Nobel Prize Information

PBS Jazz

Presidents of the United States (C-Span)

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

Time 100 (Time Magazine)

Union List of Artist Names (ULAN) (Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles)

Victorian Web, Brown University

Voices from the Gaps: Women Writers of Color (University of Minnesota)

Women's Legal History Biography Project (Robert Crown Law Library, Stanford Law School)

Writing the Paper and Citing Your Research

The Library produces guides to several citation styles, and our general style guide includes links to additional online guides.  The Center for Learning Resources in Maxcy Hall room 108 assists students writing papers.

Any questions?  Come to the Information Desk, call us at (203) 932-7189, or e-mail us.

 

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rev 1/07