Finding Biographical Information on Authors

A biography is an account of the special and important events in a person's life (not to be confused with bibliography, which is a listing of books and articles on a topic). Biographies may be brief and cover only basic information about a person's life such as dates of birth and death, education and vocation. A biography may also be very detailed, and cover the cultural background, outstanding accomplishments, and historical significance of an individual. Biographical sources cover living and deceased persons, notable persons in particular countries, persons in specific occupations, celebrities, and civil and government leaders.

It is helpful when searching for biographical information to know:

• The person's full name and correct spelling (for example: Smith, Smyth or Smythe)
• Date of birth
• Date of death (when applicable)
• Nationality or country of residence
• Occupation or profession

• To search for information about the author's life, include the search term, biography.
• If an author's last name is common, include both the first and last name in your search (e.g., stephen king)