How to Find Biographical Information
There are a number of print and electronic resources you can consult to find biographies of literary and historical figures. Some resources may be more suitable for historical biographies (including classic authors); other resources may be better for contemporary figures and newer authors. [Printable version]
Books
Use the MxCC Library online catalog (in Find Books) and search for the person as a subject – last name first, then first name. Example:
FIND BOOKS
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You will get a list of books as well as DVDs and videos. You can search within the MxCC library only and/or statewide using reQuest (in Find books in other libraries).
Articles
You can try searching for your person’s name (ex: Mary Shelley) within the following library databases (in Find Articles).
Under ‘Reference’- Credo Reference and Encyclopedia Britannica
Under ‘History’ (historical figures) – History Reference Center
Under ‘Literature’ (contemporary authors) – MagillOnLiterature Plus
TIP: Search for the person as a subject (SU). In many of the databases, you can limit your search to ‘Biography’ under ‘Publication Type’ or ‘Record Type.'
Websites
For contemporary authors, check out the author or publisher websites. (Search for these sites using an Internet search engine such as Google or Yahoo).
For historical figures, visit http://www.biography.com.
For various biographies, try http://www.infoplease.com or http://www.citizendium.org.
