What types of information will I find in Biography Resource Center?

In Biography Resource Center, you'll find short essays describing the lives of hundreds of thousands of people both living and dead and from all countries and time periods. The essays, which are secondary sources, are taken from over 130 biographical encyclopedias.

How do I find this information?

Identify people associated with your topic, then search for their names.

Before searching Biography Resource Center, research your topic in a reference work like the Encyclopedia of Chicago and make a list of people associated with your topic. Search for these names using the search box on the main page of Biography Resource Center.

If the names you entered in the search box match more than one person, you may get a list of people to choose from. Use what you already know about the person to select the correct link.

Biography Resource Center will, for famous people, often give you a list of several biographies on the person you're researching. Each entry in the list will state the encyclopedia it is taken from. Choose the one that best matches what you are trying to accomplish in researching the person or the approach you are taking to your topic. (For example, if you want to better understand Jane Addams' writings and their influence, you might want to select the articles on her from Contemporary Authors or Feminist Writers.) If this doesn't help you choose, simply select the essay whose length and reading level most appeal to you or the essay from the encyclopedia with the most recent publication date. (The publication date is included in the list.)

You may also want to look at any magazine articles that are returned. These will be found under the "magazines and news" tab at the top of the page.

Can you give me an example?

Suppose that you're researching Dr. Alice Hamilton and her work in industrial safety. Entering Alice Hamilton in the search box on the main page returns two names. Choose "Hamilton, Alice (American physician, 1869-1970)." Eleven essays are found under her name. The essay from Scientists: Their Lives and Works, published by U*X*L, would be a good choice for Junior History Fair researchers (grades six to eight), as this encyclopedia (like all encyclopedias published by U*X*L in this database) is specifically written for students in these grades.

You will also find articles about Dr. Hamilton under the "magazine articles" tab. Footnotes in these articles will lead you to other secondary and some primary sources.

What if I can't find an essay on the person I'm looking for?

Ask a librarian! The librarians at Chicago Public Library are familiar with many tools and strategies for tracking down hard-to-find biographical information. They would be happy to help you locate information on the person you're researching.