Biographies: A PCL Pathfinder

A biography is a story about a person written by someone else. By reading about individuals we can learn many things about them and the people and events surrounding their lives. Biographies also allow us to experience historical events from that person’s perspective. The resources below will assist beginning researchers and provide a jumping off point for further research. The terms and phrases listed in the subject headings below can be used to search for more materials in the library’s catalog and research databases. If you need further assistance, please ask a librarian.

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Curriculum Resource Center : Jr. Edition

Indexes and Guides to Biographical Resources

American Biographical Sources : Current

American Biographical Sources : Retrospective

International Biographical Sources

Local Resources

Web Sites

Subject Headings

Related Research Guides

Curriculum Resource Center: Junior Edition is an electronic library of printable teacher handouts. Curriculum Resource Center: Junior Edition 's expansive collection of reproducible handouts, and includes biographies -- perfect for teachers, homeschoolers and students.

Click HERE for a tip sheet to get you started using the Curriculum Resource Center : Junior Edition.

You must have a Parchment Community Library card in order to access this database from home.

Almanac of Famous People. Detroit: Gale Research, 1989– . Biennial. ISSN: 1040127X.
Includes both historical and contemporary figures with chronological, geographic index and occupational index.
[We do not own this item. You may find it at the Kalamazoo Public Library, the Portage District Library and the Waldo Library at WMU.

ARBA Guide to Biographical Resources, 1986–1997 edited by Robert L. Wick and Terry Ann Mood. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 1998. IBSN: 1563084538.
Guide to selected biographical dictionaries and directories. Each entry gives complete bibliographic information, price, and critical evaluation.
[We do not own this item. You may find it at the Waldo Library at WMU.

Biography Index. New York: H. W. Wilson, 1946– . Annual. Quarterly updates. ISSN: 00063053.
A cumulative index to biographical material about people from all countries, periods, and occupations (limited to English language books and periodicals).
[We do not own this item. You may find it at the Kalamazoo Public Library, the Portage District Library and the Waldo Library at WMU.

Who's Who Among Black Americans. Detroit: Gale Research, 1976– . Biennial. ISSN: 03625753.
This publication is issued at irregular intervals; the biographies themselves supplied the information.
[We do not own this item. You may find it at the Kalamazoo Public Library and the Waldo Library at WMU.

Who's Who in America. Chicago: Marquis, 1900– . Annual. ISSN: 00839396.
Biennial is the leading source for information on contemporary Americans. Biographical data is supplied by the biographees themselves.
[We do not own this item. You may find it at the Kalamazoo Public Library, the Portage District Library and the Waldo Library at WMU.

American National Biography edited by John A. Garraty and Mark C. Carnes. 24 vols. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. ISBN: 0195206355.
Contains scholarly articles on noted Americans with bibliographies. Indexes by subject, contributor, place of birth, occupation and realm of renown.
[We do not own this item. You may find it at the Kalamazoo Public Library and the Waldo Library at WMU.

The Cambridge dictionary of American biography / edited by John S. Bowman.-- Cambridge ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 1995. REF 920.073 CAM

National Cyclopaedia of American Biography. 63 vols. New York: James T. White, 1892– . Irregular.
Since this dictionary is not alphabetically arranged, access to the entries is through the general index. While the focus of this work is on the deceased, volumes entitled “current” or “lettered” include those living at the time of compilation. Portraits are supplied throughout the set.
[We do not own this item. You may find it at the Kalamazoo Public Library and the Waldo Library at WMU.

1000 makers of the millennium.-- 1st American ed.-- New York : DK Publishing, Inc, c1999. REF 920.02 ONE

Who Was Who in America. Chicago: Marquis, 1942– . Annual. ISSN: 01468081.
An index, arranged by name, covers the Historical Volume as well as its supplements.
[We do not own this item. You may find it at the Kalamazoo Public Library, the Portage District Library and the Waldo Library at WMU.

International Who's Who. London: Europa, 1935– . Annual. ISSN: 00749613.
Annual that provides succinct biographical data for notables from around the world.
[We do not own this item. You may find it at the Kalamazoo Public Library and the Waldo Library at WMU.

International Who's Who of Women. London: Europa, 1992– . Annual. ISSN: 09653775.
Brief entries on notable women.
[We do not own this item. You may find it at the Kalamazoo Public Library and the Waldo Library at WMU.

Who's Who in the World. Chicago: Marquis, 1972– . Biennial. ISSN: 00839825.
Biennial provides brief biographical data for the world's notables.
[We do not own this item. You may find it at the Kalamazoo Public Library and the Waldo Library at WMU.

Women in World History: A Biographical Encyclopedia edited by Anne Commire and Deborah Klezmer. 16 vols. Waterford, CT: Yorkin, 1999–2000. ISBN: 078763736X.
Biographical essays on women of achievement representing all times and places.
[We do not own this item. You may find it at the Kalamazoo Public Library , the Portage District Library and the Waldo Library at WMU.

Doers and dreamers : the governors of Michigan / by Raymond Skikkenga.-- Spring Lake, Mich : River Road Publications, c1987. REF 977.4 SIK

The life of Jacob Kindleberger : 1875-1947 / by Carroll L. Honess.-- 1949.
977.417 HON

Portrait and biographical record of Kalamazoo, Allegan and Van Buren Counties, Michigan : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies of all the governors of the state and of the presidents of the United States.-- Chicago : Chapman Bros, 1892. PAR REF 977.418 POR

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Biographical Dictionary
www.s9.com/biography/
Dictionary of notable men and women, Searchable by name, birth years, death years, positions held, professions, literary and artistic works, and achievements.

Biography.com
www.biography.com
Companion Web site to A&E’s “Biography.” Features short biographies of about 25,000 people.

Who 2 : Find Famous People Fast
http://www.who2.com/
"Classic authors, movie stars, famous frauds, kings and queens, mythical gods, cartoon dogs — anyone famous is fair game for Who2." Each entry includes birth and death dates, birthplace, what the person is best known for, biographical information, and related Web sites. "Who Loops" includes eclectic lists of people who share something in common, such as Death by Car, Celebrity Beekeepers, and Critter Defenders. Browsable and searchable. --from www.lii.org

biography—dictionaries
biography—indexes
biography—periodicals

for individual biographies, search by [last name], [first name].

Magazines
Readers Resources