The Write Stuff:
Resources for Journalism & Communications Students
Finding Information : Who : People
- Time Saving Tip: Finding Information About People
Biographical Information
The Library has an extensive collection of biographical materials, covering most world nations, occupations, and time periods. Many of the most frequently used biographical sources can be found on Index Table 2 in Reference, Library Addition, 1st floor.
Biography Indexes
- Biography
and Genealogy Master Index (SDSU users only)
Biography and Genealogy Master Index. Detroit: Gale, 1980-ongoing.
Location: Table 2; CT214 .B5 Reference - An index to biographical sketches in over 35 current and retrospective biographical works. Updated annually.
- Biography Index; a Cumulative
Index to Biographical Material in Books and Magazines. New York: Wilson,
1947-ongoing.
Location: Table 2; CT214 .B55 Reference - Indexes biographical, critical, and other types of material about individuals taken from books as well as periodicals.
- My Virtual Reference Desk: Biography/Who's Who
- Lists over 40 web sites that have biographical information.
- Internet Public Library: Biographies Reference
- Provides links to sites and includes annotations to help you determine if the site has information you need.
Biography Sources
- Biographical Dictionary
- Includes over 28,000 entries. "Information contained in the Dictionary includes birth and death years, professions, positions held, literary and artistic works and other achievements. The Dictionary is searchable by these, and other, categories using keywords."-from the web page
- Biography
- Contains over 25,000 entries for people past and present. Site is owned by A & E Television.
- Britannica Online
- A fully searchable, expanded version of the Encyclopaedia Britannica. Provides access to Britannica's latest article database, Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, and the Britannica Book of the Year.
- Current Biography Yearbook. New York: Wilson, 1940-ongoing.
Location: Table 2; CT100 .C8 Reference - Contains biographical sketches and portraits of people in the news, from all countries and in all occupations.
- International Who's Who.
London: Europa, 1935-ongoing.
Location: CT120 .I5 Reference - Contains more than 1,500 brief biographical sketches of prominent figures of the world.
- Who's Who in America. Chicago:
Marquis, 1899-ongoing.
Location: Table 2; E 663 .W56 Reference - Contains biographical information and addresses for persons of national prominence. Many companion volumes supplement this work, including: Who Was Who in America, Who's Who in Religion, Who's Who in Finance and Industry, Who's Who of American Women, Who's Who in American Politics. Supplemental regional volumes are also available such as: Who's Who in the East, Who's Who in the West, Who's Who in the South and Southwest.
Didn't find what you need? Use the Finding Information About People tip sheet.
Addresses, Phone Numbers, E-mail Addresses
Use the SDSU Library Virtual Reference Desk.
Quotations: Who Said What
Use the SDSU Library Virtual Reference Desk.
