Research Guides: Biography & autobiography: Home

Finding Autobiographies

How do I find someone's biography or autobiography?

Select the advanced search option

Select subject from the drop down 'field' menu

Type in the person's name, starting with the last name first

Subject headings

Below are subject headings that cover a range of autobiographical resources.

Click on the links below and scroll through the results to see if any of the hits fit your topic

Or, begin a new search:
- Use the advanced search option
- Select subject from the drop down 'field' menu
- Combine these subject headings with your topic or region

Apologia
Autobiographies were typically called apologia in antiquity. Use this subject heading if you're looking for an autobiography on a figure from the Classical era.
Autobiography
A good catch-all heading. Combine this term with a topic (sports, African American, etc.) or region (Egypt, Canada, etc.) for more specific results.
Coming of age
Authors use this term for the specific adolescent-to-adulthood time period. Notable examples include This Boy's Life by Tobias Wolff, and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou.
Confessions
This term is usually associated with religious works. One of the best-known autobiographical confessions is Confessions by St. Augustine of Hippo.
Correspondence
Personal writings, such as letters.
Diaries
Diaries are a unique autobiographical resource because they offer an immediate historical connection to personal record. Examples of this type of autobiography include The Diary of Anne Frank.
Interviews
Interviews can be a good autobiographical source, but it depends on the quality of questions the interviewer asks, and the type of publication.
Letters
This subject heading is sometimes used in place of correspondence.
Memoir
Nearly interchangeable with autobiography, but with some differences. In his memoirs Palimpsest, Gore Vidal sums it up as, "A memoir is how one remembers one's own life, while an autobiography is history, requiring research, dates, facts double-checked."
Oration
Another classical term. Though most orations were intended to be public speeches, some (such as Libanius' Orations) function as a form of autobiography.

Find more: search using subject headings

What are subject headings?

The vocabulary librarians use to describe and organize items in the collection

Subject headings may be different from the natural language used to describe topics:

Natural language		Library of Congress subject headings (controlled vocabulary)
Biographies on African kings (all countries)	>	Africa--Kings and rulers--biography
Biographies from Communist Germany	>	Germany (East)--biography
Biographical resources on the 2003 Iraq War	>	Iraq War, 2003-2011--biography

How can subject headings help me find international biographic resources?

Select advanced search

Select subject from the drop-down menu

Type in your topic, beginning with the theme or country, and then biography (E.G., politicians biography)

Work your way down the list and select the link that covers your topic

Hey! Sometimes the language in LC subject headings is offensive!

Yes. Library of Congress subject headings can sometimes demonstrate cultural or gender bias. This is a growing field of research in library & information sciences. Here's an interesting article on changes in subject headings:

Three Decades Since Prejudices and Antipathies: A Study of Changes in the Library of Congress Subject Headings
Steven A. Knowlton, Collection Development, University of Memphis.

Transliteration tables

Why transliterate?

You can search the catalogue for sources in languages that don't use roman scripts (such as Malayalam, Japanese, etc.)

How do I transliterate?

Use the Library of Congress' transliteration tables

Robarts Library also has a translation computer, located in the Petro Jacyk Central & East European Resource Centre on the 3rd floor.

International biographical resources

World Biographical Information System This link opens in a new window
Database of biographical profiles featuring global coverage, from the 8th century BCE to the 21st century. Provides an index to 57 Biographical Archives containing short biographies. The information in the database comes from printed reference works published in the 16th century onward.

A&E Biographies
Though not an academic resource, A&E's website features lengthy profiles on over 25,000 well-known figures from all areas of life. Some profiles include video clips, additional images, and significant quotes.
Encyclopedia of World Biography
Online version of the 23 volume set. Multi-cultural in scope.
Marquis Who's Who
Features profiles on over 1.4 million figures in the fields of government, business, science and technology, the arts, entertainment, and sports.
Who's Who in the Twentieth Century
Features profiles of significant global figures of the 20th century.
Nobelprize.org
The official website of the Nobel Prize. Features biographies on all winners, as well as video clips, interviews, photos, and additional articles.

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography This link opens in a new window

National biographical resources

Canada

Canadian Encyclopedia Online This link opens in a new window
Features articles on a range of subjects and figures of Canadian history.

Canadian Necrology
Obituary and death information for prominent and lesser-known Canadians from the late 18th century to 1977. Over 20,000 records from The Globe and Mail, Toronto Daily Star, Gazette, and Mail and Empire. Compiled by Patricia Bellamy, Robarts Reference.

Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online This link opens in a new window
Profiles figures who died between 1000 CE and 1930 (or whose last-known activity falls between these years). Online version represents a major joint research project between University of Toronto and Université Laval.

Library and Archives Canada: databases
Biographies on a range of Canadians. Biophil, the stamp creators database, is a unique feature providing biographical information on Canadian artists whose work appeared on stamps.

Africa

Dictionary of African Biography
This resource provides a comprehensive overview of the lives of the men and women who shaped Africa’s history. DAB covers the whole continent, and encompasses the full scope of history beginning c.1490 BCE. Subjects come from all walks of life.
Biographical Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East and North Africa
Covers the lives of the most influential and controversial figures in the Middle East and North Africa of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Includes profiles of contemporary leaders who belong to various political, ethnic, and religious groups, as well as notable individuals associated with business, law, science, social issues, sports, entertainment, literature, and the fine and performing arts.

Americas

American National Biography Online This link opens in a new window
Only one person can use this database at a time. If you get an error message when you try to access it, try again later.

Ellis Island Passenger Search
Use the site's search engine to view the records of all immigrants processed at Ellis Island between 1892-1954. Additionally, most records allow you to view the original ship manifest, as well as information regarding the type of ship. Users are required to register to view information, but registration is free.
Latin American History: people & places
This isn't an academic resource, but it will provide you with information to get you started in your research. Contains information on a range of subjects, including artists, politicians, criminals, writers, etc.

North American Indian Thought and Culture This link opens in a new window
Integrates autobiographies, biographies, Indigenous publications, oral histories, personal writings, photographs, drawings, and audio files.

POTUS
Provides information on all presidents of the United States, including a biographical sketch, links to historical documents (such as speeches), election results, and biographies of some members of cabinet.

Asia

Who's Who in the Ancient Near East This link opens in a new window

Europe

Biographical dictionary of British prime ministers
Beginning with Sir Robert Walpole, each entry contains brief biographical information outlining career history and significant dates and events, a brief summary of the significance and peculiarities of each prime minister, and references and further reading.
The Domesday Book
Includes listings of landowners and town information, as well as background on how the book was compiled and life in England in the 11th century.

Who's Who in the Classical World This link opens in a new window
Dictionary of ancient biography covering Greek and Roman history and politics, literature, philosophy, science, and art.

Who's Who in France

Middle East

Biographical Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East and North Africa
Covers the lives of the most influential and controversial figures in the Middle East and North Africa of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Includes profiles of contemporary leaders who belong to various political, ethnic, and religious groups, as well as notable individuals associated with business, law, science, social issues, sports, entertainment, literature, and the fine and performing arts.

Oceania

Australian Dictionary of Biography
Contains over 12,000 entries on significant Australians from all walks of life. Produced by the National Centre of Biography at the Australian National University.
Dictionary of New Zealand Biography
Contains over 3,000 entries on New Zealand and Maori figures. The biography is part of a larger online New Zealand Encyclopedia, featuring information on the environment, culture, economy, and society.

Subject-based biographical resources

LGBTQ2S+

Who's Who in Gay and Lesbian History: from antiquity to World War II
A comprehensive and fascinating survey of the key figures in gay and lesbian history from classical times to the mid-twentieth century.
Black on Both Sides : A Racial History of Trans Identity
The story of Christine Jorgensen, America's first prominent transsexual, famously narrated trans embodiment in the postwar era.
Gale Biography: LGTBQIA+ Figures

Prosopography

In relation to biography, prosopography is the collective study of a group of non-famous people, to learn about their profession, social origin, etc. It aims to learn about patterns and relationships, not individual achievements or life experiences.

Prosopography Portal
From the University of Oxford.

Women

Black Women in America
A groundbreaking resource featuring over 335 biographies, 500 illustrations, and extensive bibliographies for each entry.
Jewish Women: A Comprehensive Historical Encyclopedia
Contains over 1,500 biographies of historical and contemporary figures, as well as topical essays on Jewish life and women's issues.
Native American women : a biographical dictionary
Features over 300 biographic entries on Aboriginal North American women born between 1499 and 1965
The Oxford Encyclopedia of Women in World History
Biographies on women throughout history from a global perspective.

Religion

The Oxford Dictionary of Saints
From the famous to the obscure, this resource provides concise accounts of the lives, cults, relationships through patronage, and artistic associations of more than a thousand saints - including the most recently canonized. Over 1,700 entries
The Oxford Guide to People and Places of the Bible
This guide offers 325 articles that describe the people and places that appear in the New Testament and Old Testament of the Bible. From prophets, apostles, and groups (such as Hebrews and Angels) to kingdoms and countries, cities and mountains where Biblical events took place.

Science

Eric Weisstein's World of Science
Short entries on notable scientists from history. Weisstein's site also separates entries according to gender, minority status, nationality, prizes, and area of study.

World Biographical Information Systems (WBIS)

What is the "WBIS"?

A database of biographical profiles

WBIS features global coverage, from 8th century BCE to the 21st century

The database provides an index to 57 Biographical Archives containing short biographies

The information comes from printed reference works published in the 16th century onwards

Select the link: World Bibliographical Information System
Log in with your UTORid

Where can I find the microfiche?

The WBIS microfiche are located in Robarts reference room, located on the 4th floor of Robarts Library. The PDF gives detailed call number information so you know which fiche cabinets to look in.

Robarts Reference has two microfiche readers. There are additional microfiche readers on the 5th floor, and in the Media Commons.

If you have any problems locating or using the microfiche, speak with a librarian at the Ask Us! Desk - we are more than happy to help!

WBIS microfiche location list

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Biography & autobiography