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Find Biographical Information

General Resources | Finding Biographies (books) at CU | Specialized Biography Resources

The general biography resources will include biographical information on a wide variety of individuals from different time periods.

American National Biography CU

This full text biography database offers portraits of more than 17,400 men and women -- from all eras and walks of life -- whose lives have shaped the nation. Includes cross-references to other related biographies.

 

Biography and Genealogy Master Index CU
This database indexes current and retrospective biographical reference sources on individuals, both living and deceased, from every field of activity and from all areas of the world. Once you've retrieved the list of books where individual biographies appear, follow the steps to finding a book to see where the book you're looking for is located.

 

Biography Index CU
Cites biographical material appearing in periodicals, current books of individual and collective biography, and incidental biographical material in otherwise non-biographical books.

 

Marquis Who's Who on the Web CU

Comprehensive profiles on over 1 million of the most accomplished individuals from all fields of endeavor including: government, business, science & technology, the arts, entertainment and sports.

 

Biography.com (from the A&E Television Channel)

Includes ~25,000 biographies searchable by name, keyword or category. Entries may include videos, links to related works, people and websites.

 

Biography (from Infoplease.com)

30,000+ biographies available; search by name or browse by subject. Includes lists of biographies of notable women, biographies of famous americans by race/ethnicity, and recent deaths (by year, from 1998 - present).

 

Cambridge Biographical Encyclopedia

Located in Norlin Reference Stacks, call number CT103 .C26 1994

 

Current Biography (Annual, 1940 - present)

Located in Norlin Reference Stacks, call number CT100 .C8

 

Dictionary of American Biography

Located in Norlin Reference Stacks, call number E176 .D563

 

 

To find individual biographies written about a specific person, follow the steps below.

1. Go to Chinook, the CU Library Catalog
2. Select the "Advanced Keyword Search " option
3. Enter your keywords (More information on keyword searching)
• Example: Searching for a biography of John Muir
• You may want to include both forms of his name: ("John Muir" OR "Muir, John")
• Also include the keyword "biograph*" to find biography, biographies, biographical, etc.

 



 

4. Click the "Search" button near the bottom of the screen
5. Note: If your search returns no results, you may want to search Prospector or request the book through Interlibrary Loan (for more information, consult the How Do I? page on how to find a book)

Colorado | International | Literary | Political | Science | Women

 

COLORADO

 

Colorado Biographical Dictionary : People of All Times and All Places Who Have Been Important to the History and Life of this State

Located in Norlin Reference Stacks, call number F775 .C635 1999

 

Colorado Who's Who

Located in Norlin Reference Stacks, call number CT226 .C64 1984

 

The Historical Encyclopedia of Colorado

Located in Norlin Reference Stacks, call number F775 .H57 1975

 

Who's Who in Colorado : a Biographical Record of Colorado 's Outstanding Civic, Business, Professional, Religious, Labor and Government Leaders

Located in Norlin Reference Stacks, call number F775 .W58 1967

 

Women of Consequence : the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame

Located in Norlin Reference Stacks, call number CT3260 .V37 1999

 

INTERNATIONAL

 

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography CU
An illustrated collection of 50,000 biographies of the men and women who shaped all aspects of Britain's past, from the fourth century BC to the year 2000.

 

Who's Who in the World CU

Part of the information available through Marquis Who's Who on the Web (which includes profiles on over 1 million of the most accomplished individuals from all fields of endeavor including: government, business, science & technology, the arts, entertainment and sports).

 

Dictionary of International Biography

Located in Norlin Reference Stacks, call number CT101 .D5

 

Memorable Canadians (from the National Library of Canada)

The biographies contained in this resources focus on the National Library's areas of emphasis: Canadian history and society, literature, music, and library and information science. The profiles are indexed by name, endeavor, subject, and resource.

 

LITERARY

 

Contemporary Authors CU
Biographical details on approximately 112,000 modern novelists, poets, playwrights, nonfiction writers, journalists, and scriptwriters.

Dictionary of Literary Biography CU

A contemporary 300+ volume literary encyclopedia with substantive 2 to 5 page biographical introductions, critical evaluations, and bibliographic essays on authors, critics, journalists, screenwriters, publishers and scholars, a majority of whom have published in the 20th century.

 

Oxford Companion to English Literature

Located in Norlin Reference Stacks, call number PR19 .D73 2006

 

POLITICAL

 

The Presidents of the United States

Brief biographies of the US Presidents from the White House website.

 

Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (1774 - present)

Search the directory by name, state, position, party, year or Congress. Includes brief biography, with additional biographical citations available through the "Bibliography" link.

 

Biographies: First Ladies of the United States

From the National First Ladies Library, the entries include biographical information, bibliographies of other works written about the first ladies, and an historical timeline.

 

Arlington National Cemetery

Includes biographical information about some of the individuals buried in Arlington National Cemetery, including presidents, Supreme Court Justices, historical figures, minorities and more.

 

Biographical Dictionary of Modern World Leaders, 1992 to the present

Located in Norlin Reference Stacks, call number D412 .B55 2003

 

Columbia Dictionary of Political Biography

Located in Norlin Reference Stacks, call number D108 .C65 1991

 

Dictionary of Political Biography

Located in Norlin Reference Stacks, call number D412 .D53 1998

 

First Ladies of the United States : a Biographical Dictionary

Located in Norlin Reference Stacks, call number E176.2 W369 2001

 

Presidential Facts : Topical Lists, Comparisons, and Statistics

Located in Norlin Reference Stacks, call number E176.1 .S614 2006

 

The United States Executive Branch : a Biographical Directory of Heads of State and Cabinet Officials (2003)

Located in Norlin Reference Stacks, call number E176 .U575 2003

 

SCIENCE

 

Who's Who in Science and Engineering CU

A biographical dictionary of notable scientists and engineers. Part of the information available through Marquis Who's Who on the Web.

 

Faces of Science: African Americans in the Sciences

Profiles of African Americans in many scientific disciplines. Includes notation for women scientists and the scientists who were the first to be awarded a PhD in that field.

 

American Men and Women of Science

Located in Science Reference, call number Q141 .A48

 

Biographical Dictionary of Scientists

Located in Science Reference, call number Q141 .B528 2000

 

Biographical Encyclopedia of Scientists

Located in Science Reference, call number Q141 .B532 1998

 

Dictionary of Scientific Biography

Located in Science Reference, call number Q141 .D5

 

Encyclopedia of World Scientists

Located in Science Reference, call number Q141 .O25 2001

 

WOMEN

 

Who's Who of American Women CU

A biographical dictionary of notable living American women. Part of the information available through Marquis Who's Who on the Web.

 

Black Women in America

Located in Norlin Reference Stacks, call number E185.86 .B542 2005

 

Native American Women : a Biographical Dictionary

Located in Norlin Reference Stacks, call number E98.W8 B38 2001

 

Notable American women, 1607-1950

Located in Norlin Reference Stacks, call number CT3260 .N57

 

Notable American women : a biographical dictionary completing the twentieth century (2004)

Located in Norlin Reference Stacks, call number CT3260 .N5735 2004

 

Palgrave Macmillan Dictionary of Women's Biography

Located in Norlin Reference Stacks, call number CT3260 .N5735 2004

 

Please email suggestions for additional resources.

Updated 8/07 SA

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