biographical dictionaries and directories presentation

8/3/2019 Biographical Dictionaries and Directories Presentation

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BIOGRAPHICAL SOURCES&

DIRECTORIES

PRESENTED BY:MARK CHRISTIAN A. JUAN

LIS 240



History

Biography – from the two Greek words bios ,meaning life, and graphein , meaning to write

- form of history which is applied

to individuals rather than to nations or civilizations.

- It is the purpose of biographyto tell accurately the history of an individual fromhis birth to his death in a manner that will revealthe various aspects of his character, personalityand philosophy.



Biographies cont.

History of Biography• Plutarch – wrote his Parallel Lives, the life

histories of forty-six Greeks and Romans,

towards the end of the first century A.D.• John Dryden – first used the word biography to

describe the work of Plutarch’s as the “historyof particular men’s lives.”

• - the meaning of biography has becomeestablished as a literary form



Biographies cont.

Other literary forms contribute to biography but must bedistinguished from it are:

• Autobiography – the narration of a person’s life byhimself,

• Memoirs – the history of his times as seen by theindividual who writes them

• Diary – a day-to-day account of the happenings andevents in a person’s life, recorded by that person

• Letters – written communications of a personal nature(as distinguished from belles-lettres, meaning literature),which may be intimate narratives, records of events, or expressions of the writer’s thoughts and philosophy.



Evaluating Biographical Sources

• Selection• Audience

• Length of Entry• Authority• Frequency

• Other Points (pictures, bibliographies,with sufficient cross-references, etc.)



TYPES OF BIOGRAPHICAL SOURCES

1. Index to Biography2. Universal and Current Biographical

Sources3. Professional and Subject Biographies



INDEX TO BIOGRAPHY

According to Use:1. For ready reference – data type of information is

required- key to some million entries found in biographical

dictionaries and directories.- purpose: to reduce tedious searching of basic,

generally current guides

Example: Biography and Genealogy Index . Detroit: GaleResearch Company, 1980.



2. For detailed information – for research papers,projects, speeches and other presentation.

- includes citations to biographies appearing inperiodicals and selected books.

- purpose: to offer a key to biographicalinformation about persons living and dead in a widevariety of general sources

Example:

Biography Index . New York: the H.W. WilsonCompany, 1947 to date. Quarterly with annualcummulations.



Other Examples of Biographical Index

• BioBase 1984. New York: Master Cumulation, 1984. Microfische. AnnualSupplements, 1985-86.

• Biography Almanac , 2 nd ed., 1983, 2vols.; Supplement, 1986, 200 pp.

• The New York Times Obituaries Index, 1858-1968. Sanford, North Carolina:Microfilming Corporation, 1970.



UNIVERSAL AND CURRENT BIOGRAPHICALSOURCES

1. Biographical Dictionaries2. Pseudonyms

3. Directory: Who’s who Form4. Essay form of biographical sources5. Retrospective essay form



BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARIES

• A biographical dictionary is a collection of sketches of varying lengths about the lives of individuals, arranged alphabetically by surname

(Gates, 1974 )

• Before the advent of the Biography and

Genealogy Master Index , the biographicaldictionary was a first place to turn to identify,qualify and generally discover basic facts aboutan individual (Katz, 1987)



History

• In the 19 th century, there appeared inmost European countries publicationscalled “dictionaries of national biography”,

presenting biographical information aboutimportant national figures.• Forerunners of the modern biographical

dictionary, a work which combinesbiography (factual information about thelife of an individual) and dictionary(alphabetical arrangement)



Kinds of Biographical Dictionaries

1. Universal – not limited to any state, country or profession.a. Person no longer livingb. Living persons

1. National or Regional – limited in coverage to particular countries or regions but including persons from all of the

professions and occupationsa. Person no longer livingb. Living persons

1. Professional or occupational – limited to persons in a specificprofession or occupation

3.1. Universala. Person no longer livingb. Living persons3.2. National or Regionala. Person no longer living

b. Living persons



Choosing a Biographical Dictionary

It is helpful to establish the following factsabout that person:

1. His dates of birth and death, if he is notliving

2. His nationality3. His profession or occupation



Choosing a Biographical Dictionary

Sources that will aid in establishing theneeded facts:The card catalogThe Cumulative Book IndexThe Biography Index

Periodical Indexes A book by the person in question



Using a Biographical Dictionary

Read the preliminary pages to determine:1. Whether the alphabetical arrangement

is letter-by-letter or word-by-word;2. What special features are included;3. What abbreviations and symbols are

used.



Examples of Biographical Dictionaries

Universal Biography A. Persons no longer living

1. Chambers’ Biographical Dictionary – edited by J.O. Thorne. New York:St. Martin’s Press, 1968. Covers the “great of all nations and all times”(subtitle); gives pronunciation; has some 150,000 entries

1. James, Edward T. (ed.). Notable American Women 1607-1950. ABiographical Dictionary . Cambridge, Mass.: Belknap Press of HarvardUniversity Press, 1971. 3 vols. Sponsored by Radcliffe College, covers300 years of women’s history in America; modeled after Dictionary of

American Biography , includes women who have achieved distinction intheir own right; includes bibliographies; articles are written by a person

with “special knowledge of the subject or her field” (Preface)

1. The McGraw-Hill an Encyclopedia of World Biography . New York:McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1972.12 vols. Includes persons not livingand living persons; articles include basic biographical facts andcommentary on person’s background and character, evaluation of hisrole in history, a portrait whenever possible; Vol. XII contains historicalmaps, index, and study guides.



4. New Century Cyclopedia of Names . New York : Appleton-Century-Crofts,Inc., 1954. 3 vols. Identifies proper names of importance today: persons,places, events, literary characters, plays operas, mythological and legendarynames; provides a chronological table of world history.

5. Payton, Geoffrey (comp.). Webster’s Dictionary of Proper Names.Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam Company, 1970. Identifies over 10,000contemporary and historical place-names, nicknames, and names from thearts, science, movies, sports, and other areas; includes names unique to

America; grouped in 67 categories.

6. Webster’s Biographical Dictionary. Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. MerriamCompany, 1972. Lists names of 40,000 noteworthy persons withpronunciation and concise biographies; is not limited by period, race religion,or occupation; includes table of heads of state and other high officialshistorical and contemporary.



B. Living persons

1.Current Biography. New York: The H.W. Wilson Company, 1940- .(Monthly except August.) Current Biography Yearbook, 1946- . Aims tocover all important contemporary figures in all fields; includes pronunciationfor unusual names, a photograph of the biographee, and a bibliography of thesources used. Yearbooks contain indexes by names and professions and acumulated five-year index.

1.Dictionary of International Biography. 10 th ed. Cambridge: InternationalBiographical Centre, 1972. 2 vols. First published in 1963, it aims to be a

record of contemporary achievement; reports personal information,professional positions, publications, honors; covers many countries and manywalks of life.

1.International Who’s Who. London: Europa Publications, Ltd., 1935- .(Annual). Includes sketches of important people in the world today.



4. The New York Times Biographical Edition : A Compilation of Current Biographical Information of General Interest. New York: New York Times,1970- . (Weekly.) Gives profiles of people in the news; contains 20-50 articleseach week reprinted from the Times ; represents all sections of the country;some are obituaries; some are news items; others are interviews.

National or Regional Biography

A. Persons no longer living

1.Appleton’s Cyclopedia of American Biography. Rev. Ed. New York: D.

Appleton and Company, Inc., 1887-1900. 7 vols. Includes all importantpersons identified with American histroy from its earliest beginnings; haslengthy articles and many portraits.2.Dictionary of American Biography. Published under the auspices of the

American Council of Learned Societies. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons,1928-1944. 21 vols. Supplement 2. To December 31, 1940. New York:

Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1958. (First supplement is Vol.21)



(cont... Dictionary of American Biography) A scholarly work; provides lengthy signed articles and bijliography.Supplement 3, 1941-1945. 1973.

3. Concise Dictionary of American Biography. Edited by Joseph G. E.

Hopkins. New York : Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1964. Provides in onevolume the essential facts of each biographee in the larger work (through1940); useful for quick reference.

B. Living persons

1. The National Cyclopedia of American Biography. Includes living persons inthe Current series.

2. Who’s Who in America. London: A.& C. Black, Ltd., 1849- . (Annual.) Thefirst “who’s who”; includes persons of distinction in all fields; covers GreatBritain and the Commonwealth nations.



3. Who’s who in America. Chicago: Marquis – Who’s Who, Inc., 1899-- .(Biennial.) Includes persons of special prominence in every line of work andthose who are selected arbitrarily because of their position in government,religion, education, ; industry, and other fields. 1972-1973 edition is in 2volumes.

4. Who’s Who in the World. Chicago: Marquis– Who’s Who, Inc., 1970. Aimsto identify improtant personalities of the world; contains 25,000 names fromsome 150 countries of persons who are “shaping today’s world andtomorrow’s future” chosen by members of the Marquis staff.

Note : There are biographical dictionaries by race, by section of a country,and by profession.



Oxford Dictionary of National Biography• An illustrated collection of more than 57,000 specially writtenbiographies of the men and women from around the world who

shaped all aspects of Britain's past.The Oxford DNB was published in print and online in 2004.

It is extended with three annual updates (each January, Mayand October), adding new biographies from the Romans to the 21st century.

Covers prominent deceased persons from England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland aswell as those from British colonies and non-British citizens who lived in England andcontributed to its history.



PSEUDONYMS

Pseudonyms and Nicknames Dictionary , 2 nd ed.. Detroit:Gale Research Company, 1982. 995 pp.

- listing of about 50,000 pseudonyms and nicknames.

- covers all periods and most of the world

- information includes birth and death dates, nationality

and occupation.



Directory: Who’s who Form

• Lists only the living, and only those in outstandingposition.

• Purpose: to present objective, usually non-controversialfacts about an individual.

• Common questions they answer:

(1) Where does X live, or receive email?,

(2) What is X’s age and position?,

(3) What has X written?,(4) What honors does X claim?



Examples:

Who’s who in America. Chicago: Marquis – Who’s Who, Inc., 1899-- .(Biennial.) Includes persons of special prominence in every line of work and those who are selected arbitrarily because of their position in government, religion, education, ; industry, and other fields. 1972-1973 edition is in 2 volumes.

International Who’s Who . London: Europa Publications, Ltd., 1935- .(Annual). Includes sketches of important people in the world today.

Who’s Who. London: Black, 1849 to date, annual (distributed in the

United States by St. Martin’s Press, Inc.)



Essay Form of Biographical Sources

- essay length biographical aids

Examples:

Current Biography. New York: The H.W. Wilson Company, 1940to date, monthly except August.

The New York Times Biographical Service: A Compilation of Current Biographical Information of General Interest . Sanford,North Carolina: Microfilming Corporation of America, 1970 to

date, monthly.



RETROSPECTIVE ESSAY FORM

Examples:• Dictionary of American Biography. Published under the

auspices of the American Council of Learned Societies. NewYork: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1928-1944. 21 vols.

Supplement 2. To December 31, 1940. New York: CharlesScribner’s Sons, 1958. (First supplement is Vol.21)

• James, Edward T. (ed.). Notable American Women 1607-1950. A Biographical Dictionary . Cambridge, Mass.: BelknapPress of Harvard University Press, 1971. 3 vols.

• Dictionary of National Biography . Edited by Leslie Stephenand Sidney Lee, 1885 to 1901; reissue, London: OxfordUniversity Press, 1938, 21 vols. and supplement; 2 nd to 8 th supplements, 1912-1986.



PROFESSIONAL AND SUBJECTBIOGRAPHIES

growth in education and increase in thenumber of professions resulted in theproliferation of specialized biographicalsources.



Examples

BUSINESS• Biographical Dictionary of Business Leaders .

Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press,

1983, 4 vols.• Standard and Poor’s Register of

Corporations, Directors and Executives . NewYork: Standard & Poor’s, 1928 to date,annual, 3 vols.



Examples

Librarianship• Who’s Who in Library and Information Services.

Chicago: American Library Association, 1982, 559 pp.

Literature• World Authors, 1950 – 1970 . New York: The H.W.

Wilson Company, 1975, 1594 pp. Supplement: World Authors 1970 – 1975, 1979, 893 pp. World Authors 1975

– 1980, 1985, 829 pp.



Examples of Filipiniana BiographicalSources

Directorio Biografico Filipino / ed. P. Reyes – Manila: Imp. Y Litografia“Germania” Alix, 1908. A compilation of biographies of famousFilipinos who lived in the 19 th century. Among those included are:Mariano Abella, Sergio Osmena, Emilio Aguinaldo, Jose Paterno,etc.

Builders of a Nation: Series of Biographical Sketches / Morilla M.Norton. – Manila: [1914]. 266 p. It is a collection of biographies of the leading figures in the Philippines at that time. Includes writingsof Mariano Ponce about the Philippines; Epifanio de los Santos onLiterature; Gregorio Nieva on the Philippine Assembly; and Austin

Craig on the history of the University of the Philippines.Who’s who in the Philippines / Rodrigo C. Lim – Manila: Claudio Nera,

[c1929] 213 p. A compilation of biographies, with portraits, of successful men and women of the Philippines at that time.




Who’s who in the Philippines: a Biographical Dictionary of NotableLiving Men of the Philippine Islands. / Franz J. Weisblatt – Manila:McCollough Printing, 1937. 2 v. Biographies of notable living menin the Philippines before WWII, including foreigners. Gives generalinformation and statistics about the Philippines.

Dictionary of Philippine Biography / Espiridion Arsenio Manuel –Quezon City: Filipiniana Publications, 1955 – v. A dictionary of biographical sketches of deceased men and women who madesignificant contributions to Philippine life and progress. Informationinclude: name, dates of birth and death, field, parentage,

occupation and distinction of ancestors, education, activities,family data and bibliography of works. All volumes are from A-Zwith separate name and subject index for each volume.

Philippines Who’s Who / Isidro L. Retizos and D.H. Soriano – QuezonCity: Capitol Pub. House, [c1957]. 327 p. Consists of 400 livingFilipinos and members of the foreign community.




Filipinos in History – Manila: National Institute, 1989 -. v. A Continuingcompilation of biographies of noted Filipinos whose lives, works,

deeds and contributions to the historical development of thecountry serve as inspirations to every Filipino. Vol. I: Jose AbadSantos to Vicente Lim; vol.2: Mariano Llanera to Jose Clemente

Zulueta; vol. 3: Antonio Abad to Lorenzo Zialcita; and vol. 4:Vicente Abad Santos to Zobel.

100 Taon: !00 Filipina sa Digmaan at Kapayapaan / Leonarda N.Camacho. – Quezon City: SBA Printers, c2000. [248 p.]. Tungkolito sa 100 Filipinang malaki ang naging papel sa kasaysayan nang

ating bansa. May kasamang mga larawan.



DIRECTORIES

A directory lists the names and addressesof persons, organizations, or institutions. Itmay provide other pertinent information,

such as the purposes, the dues, and theofficers of organizations.Directories , which list persons or organizations in alphabetical or classifiedarrangement, includes addresses andaffiliations for individuals and officers andother data for organizations.



DIRECTORIES

ALA Glossary of Library Terms defines a directory as “alist of persons or organizations, systematically arranged,usually in alphabetical or classed order, giving addresses,affiliations, etc., for individuals, and address, officers,

functions and similar data for organizations”.

The first directory compiled was the Doomsday Book in1086 by William I or William the Conqueror (used for tax

purposes)



USES OF DIRECTORIES

• To find out an individual’s or a firm’s address or telephone number;

• The find out the full name of an individual, a firm, or anorganization;

• The description of a particular manufacturer’s product or a service;• Who is … for example, the president of a firm, or the

head of school, etc.• Limited, but up-to-date, biographical information on an

individual – whether still president, chairperson, or withthis or that of a company, etc.

• Historical and current data about an institution, a firm, or a political group – when it was founded, how many

members it had;



USES OF DIRECTORIES cont.

• The data for commercial use, such as selecting a list of individuals, companies or organizations for a mailing in aparticular area;

• Random or selective samplings in a social or commercialsurveys, for which they are basic sources.

• Verify names / spellings• Match individuals with organizations that can answer /

help their information needs.



SCOPE

1. Local Directories – limited geographical audiencea. Telephone booksb. City directories

2. Governmental Directories – includes guides to post offices,army and navy posts, and different services offered by thegovernments.3. Institutional Directories – lists of schools, foundations, libraries,hospitals, museums and similar organizations.4. Trade and Business Directories – mainly lists of manufacturers’information about companies, industries and personal services.5. Investment Services – closely related to trade and businessdirectories, give detail reports on public and private corporationsand companies6. Professional Directories – largely lists of professionalorganizations such as those relating to law, medicine,librarianship, etc.



Directory of Directories

• provides listings and descriptions of various directories

e.g.Directories in Print – formerly Directory of Directories

City and State Directories in Print – has little overlap withDirectories in print

International Directories in Print

Organizations Master Index



Examples of Directories

• Encyclopedia of Associations . Detroit: Gale Research Company, 1972.Covers national organizations of the United States (vol. I), with ageographic and executive index (Vol.II), and a list of new associationsand projects (Vol. III). Gives information on 15,000 national, nonprofitmembership organizations grouped by categories according to

principal interest; includes foreign groups of interest in America andlocal and regional associations in the United States.• The Foundation Directory . New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

Prepared by the Foundation Library Center, gives information on morethan 6,000 foundations, their fields of interest and their personnel.

• Directory of Special Libraries and Information Centers . By AnthonyKruzas. Detroit: Gale Research Company. Lists 13,000 speciallibraries and information centers, together with facts regardingsponsorship, location, specialization, staff and size of collection.



Examples of Directories

• Official Directory for the Use of the United States Congress 1809- .Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. Includes a wide varietyof information concerning members of Congress, committees, other bodies of the government, independent agencies, diplomaticrepresentatives, governors and members of the press.

• Comparative Guide in American College . New York: Harper and Row. 704pp. Everything from admission requirements and the racial composition of the student body to the amount of social life is considered in a standardform.



• ISBN: 978-1-85743-510-8• Binding: Hardback • Published by: Routledge• Publication Date: 26th June 2009• Pages: 2482

• Published annually since 1935, the International Who’s Who is now in its seventy-third edition.Providing hard-to-find biographical details for over 22,000 of the world’s most prominent andinfluential personalities, this outstanding reference work records the lives and achievements of men and women from almost every profession and activity – from heads of state to sportinggreats.

• Each biography is customized and includes specific information provided to us by each member.

Each member’s personalized information is included under these sections: Business Information—which focuses on what the company does and what the member’s responsibilities are.Employment History—lists significant positions, company names, and dates of employment.

Associations and Accomplishments—documents notable achievements. Educational History—focuses on schools attended, degrees attained along with other schools or special certifications.Lastly, Personal Information—includes marital status, spouse’s name, year married, children’snames and hobbies or special activity interests.



References:

Katz, William A. Introduction to ReferenceWork. 5 th edition. Boston: McGraw-Hill,1987.

Gates, Jean Key Gates. Guide to the Useof Books and Libraries. 3 rd edition.

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