Reference Services
Five Ways to Get Research Help
Spring Semester 2012
Visit us
@The Reference Desk
| Mon-Thu | 9:00 am - 8:00 pm |
| Fri | 9:00 am - 5:00 pm |
| Sat | 10:00 am - 5:00 pm |
| Sun | 1:00 pm - 8:00 pm |
Call Us
(During Reference Hours)
(401) 874-2653
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(During Reference Hours)
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(During Reference Hours)
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Email Us
(After Reference Hours)
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(Please allow 1-2 business days for a response)
Before You Start...
Before beginning a search for biographical information on an individual, it will help to determine in which categories the person belongs. What is, or was, the person’s nationality? Occupation? Time period? Is the person deceased or still living? Biographical sources are limited by factors such as these.
There may be other biographical sources including subject-specific sources such as dictionaries of scientists. For assistance, please contact the Reference Desk.
Books
Do a subject search in the HELIN library catalog with the last name first: mandela, nelson. Search WorldCat for other books.
- HELIN CatalogThe HELIN Catalog covers academic libraries across Rhode Island, but does not include Brown. Because the libraries are close by, requests for books only take 2-3 business days for delivery. You can also visit and check out books from most of these libraries.
- WorldCat (FirstSearch)
This is a catalog of books and other materials in libraries worldwide. You can request materials using URI's Interlibrary Loan service. Book requests outside of Rhode Island can take up to a month for delivery, so please plan accordingly.
Web Resources
Select a search tool from the list of Internet Search Tools, or use the links below. Keep in mind that you may retrieve low-quality information, as well as high quality.
- Internet Search ToolsList of internet search tools selected by URI librarians.
- Biography.comBrief biographies of over 20,000 people, past and present. Provided by A&E Television Networks.
- The Biographical DictionaryDictionary of more than 33,000 men and women from ancient times to the present day. Can be searched by name, birth year, death year, positions held, professions, literary and artistic works, miscellaneous achievements, and other keywords.
Journals or Magazines
The following databases may help you locate magazine and journal articles on the person you're researching.
- Academic Search Complete (EBSCOhost) Full text for over 8,500 journals, including more than 7,300 peer-reviewed journals. Covers topics including: archaeology, astronomy, biology, chemistry, civil engineering, electrical engineering, ethnic & multicultural studies, food science & technology, general science, geography, geology, law, mathematics, mechanical engineering, music, physics, psychology, religion & theology, women's studies, and other fields. Updated daily. Coverage varies, but generally covers the mid 1990s - present.
- Biography Index Retrospective (EBSCOhost) Provides citations to biographical articles, interviews, and obituaries of public figures. 1946-1983.
- Biography Reference Bank (EBSCOhost) Contains biographical information on approximately half a million people, from antiquity to the present, along with thousands of images. Includes the full text of articles from more than 100 volumes of biographical reference works, plus thousands of biographies from other publishers, Biographies are searchable by name, profession, title, place of origin, gender, race/ethnicity, titles of works, date of birth or death, keyword, and presence of images.
- Readers’ Guide Retrospective: 1890-1982 (EBSCOhost) Access almost 100 years of cultural history with references to over 3 million articles that appeared in 373 leading U.S. magazines as far back as 1890.
Encyclopedias
Use general encyclopedias such as the New Encyclopaedia Britannica, World Book, and Encyclopedia Americana on the Encyclopedias row in the reference area. There are also numerous subject-specific encyclopedias in the reference stacks.
Newspapers
- LexisNexis Academic Provides the full text of many newspapers. The General News Topics section contains stories going back as far as the 1970s for some newspapers. The Biographical Information section contains biographical articles going back as far as the 1970s from trade magazines and business journals, as well as from various “Who’s Who” biographical sources.
- National Newspapers (4) (ProQuest) Indexing, abstracts, and full text of The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, and the Christian Science Monitor. Coverage varies by publication but generally begins in 1980s. Updated daily.
- New York Times Article Archive
Search the complete backfile of The New York Times by keyword, author, or headline. Includes articles, advertisements, and listings through 1995; articles only after 1995. Full content in PDF format (1851-1995) or text-only format (1996-) may be purchased online. (Note that articles are also available on microfilm in many libraries and online in library databases.) 1851-. Updated daily.
Biographical Dictionaries
Contact Information |
 URI Librarian  Contact Info Kingston: (401) 874-2653 Providence: (401) 277-5130 Narragansett: (401) 874-6161 Send Email |
Created & Revised By
J.M. Williamson 7/99.
Rev. A. Izenstark 12/10.
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