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Individual Databases
Unless otherwise noted, these resources are available at all Chicago Public Library locations and from home, school, or work with a Chicago Public Library card.
*American National Biography »
American National Biography Online contains substantial biographical articles on more than 18,000 deceased American men and women from all eras and walks of life as well as selected non-nationals (for example, Casimir Pulaski) who had a profound influence on American history. All biographical articles include evaluative bibliographies that guide the reader in further research. Also included are articles from The Oxford Companion to American History.
Biography & Genealogy Master Index »
Use this database to find biographies and profiles of persons in reference books in the library's print collections. The database covers both contemporary and historical figures of all nationalities.
Available at the Harold Washington Library Center, Sulzer Regional Library, and Woodson Regional Library.
*Biography Resource Center » teen pick
Biography Resource Center contains full-text biographical information on 320,000 people from all periods of history and from every geographical region. The database includes articles from numerous biographical encyclopedias and reference works. Also included are articles from selected magazines, providing supplemental information on recent events in a person's life. One may search for information on a particular person by name or create lists of people based on their nationality, ethnicity, occupation, gender, and more.
*World Book » kid friendly
This general encyclopedia includes thousands of biographies of famous persons, from architect Alvar Aalto to composer Ellen Taaffe Zwilich.
In addition to the above databases, biographical entries may be found in many of our subject-specific sources, including Columbia Granger's World of Poetry, CQ Weekly, History Database Search, Literary Reference Center, New Book of Popular Science, Oxford African American Studies Center, Oxford Art Online, Oxford Music Online, and Science Online.
* - indicates that the database is included in the Quick Search above.