Library Guides: History: Biographical Dictionaries and Encyclopedias

Biographical Dictionaries and Encyclopedias

Biographical dictionaries and encyclopedias provide brief essays on historical figures. They are similar in scope to Wikipedia entries, but are written by authorities in the field. Listed here are only a handful of the major online collection - we have many similiar and more specialized titles in print.

American National Biography Online
Biographical essays on men and women whose lives shaped the nation.
The American National Biography Online offers portraits of more than 17,000 men and women -- from all eras and walks of life -- whose lives have shaped the nation. The online version reproduces the full-text of the original 24 volume set published in 1999, with new and updated entries added regularly. The online edition features thousands of illustrations, hyperlinked cross-references, links to select web sites, and powerful search capabilities.
Deutsche Biographie
A full-text, searchable database of over 46,000 historical and biographical articles from the Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie(ADB) and the Neue Deutsche Biographie (NDB).
Deutsche Biographie is a full-text, searchable database of over 46,000 historical and biographical articles from the Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie(ADB) and the Neue Deutsche Biographie (NDB).
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
Biographies of noteworthy men and women who shaped Britain's past.
An illustrated collection of 50,000 specially written biographies of noteworthy men and women who shaped Britain's past, from the fourth century BC to the year 2000

In addition to the biographical databases, try the section on Historical Encyclopedias and Dictionaries. The library also has an extensive collection of print resources - far too many to list here. If you are not finding what you need use the contact information on the left sidebar and ask for help!