Individual Article:
Two new biographical dictionaries are added to the reference collection
Northwestern University researchers now have online access to two major new biographical dictionaries, the American National Biography and the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. The electronic versions of these important reference resources provide access to the content of the award-winning print versions, as well as periodic updates. Both of these dictionaries are the result of major scholarly and publishing undertakings, each involving over 10 years of work by thousands of scholars. Both are much needed updates to standard but dated biographical dictionaries.
The American National Biography, like its predecessor the Dictionary of American Biography, has been sponsored by the American Council of Learned Societies. The biographies describe the lives of more than 17,000 men and women who have influenced American history in some significant way, whether through politics, science, the arts, or other areas. Entries range from the famous (Paul Revere) to the infamous (John Dillinger) to the ordinary (Martha Ballard, 18th-century midwife and diarist). The biographical essays are appended with bibliographies, notes on the location of important archival holdings, and links to scholarly web sites.
The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (ODNB) describes the lives of 55,000 people who made an impact on British history and culture. This work updates the Victorian Dictionary of National Biography (DNB) originally published 1885-1900, and its several supplements. All 37,000-plus entries from the DNB have been either revised or completely rewritten for this new work, though the online edition includes links to the original DNB articles. New biographies have been added for recent lives and for many “missing persons” not included in the DNB. In addition to the biographical essays written by more than 10,000 scholars, entries include bibliographic sources, archival holdings, and “likenesses,” including thousands of images from the National Portrait Gallery in London.
The ODNB covers 2,500 years, from Pytheas, a 4th-century BCE Greek explorer, to Princess Diana. Included are people born in the British Isles or in British colonies and those born elsewhere who settled in Britain (Hans Holbein). Entrants’ contributions to British history and culture came in many fields including arts, business, politics, and sports, and range from the powerful (Oliver Cromwell) to the provocative (Abiezer Coppe, 17th-century preacher and Ranter) and from classical (George Frideric Handel, 18th-century composer) to popular (Sid Vicious, 20th-century punk rocker).
Both of these dictionaries can be accessed through the Library’s Electronic Resources page, the Virtual Reference Collection, or through NUcat.
Scott Garton