Biography Resource Center
From LIS 460 Summer 2007
Biography Resource Center
What Is Biography Resource Center:
Created by Thompson Gale, Biography Resource Center is a searchable database designed for use in public and school libraries to assist users with conducting all their biographical research needs. Biography Resource Center is a one-stop database that provides its users with encyclopedic biography entries, facts, full-text articles, and other information about famous literary figures, scientists, political figures, businessman, entertainers, athletes, artists, activists, mathematicians, and more. In all, Biography Resource Center contains over 432,000 biographies on more than 340,000 people.
Navigating the database is fairly easy, as well. Information is clearly displayed, and tabs at the top of the page allow users to easily move from one section to the next. Biography Resource Center is an essential tool because it provides users with a variety of reliable resources all available in one convenient location.
What truly makes Biography Resource such a great resource is that it can be accessed for free by simply entering in your MA Library Card number into the MA Board of Library Commissioners website. Additionally, many public schools are given free subscription to Biography Resource Center, such as Cambridge Rindge & Latin.
What Exactly does Biography Resource Center Provide:
1. Narrative Biographies: entries that are shorter than a book but longer than a few paragraphs.
2. Thumbnail Biographies: entries containing a paragraph of basic factual information.
3. Marquis Who’s Who: list of living persons and offer brief, basic biographical information.
4. Full-Text Articles: from over 250 different periodicals.
5. Websites: links to authorized website containing online biographical information.
How to Access Biography Resource Center:
As previously mentioned, to access Biography Resource Center, all one needs is a valid MA library card. Simply follow these steps:
1. Go to the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners Homepage
2. Click “Find Books & Magazines Online” (located on the top menu bar).
3. Enter the 14 digit number code on the back of your local library card, and click “GO.”
4. You now have the list of all accessible online databases. Scroll down and click on the Biography Resource Center w/ marquis Who’s Who” link, located under the heading “Arts and Humanities.”
5. You are now logged-on to Biography Resource Center.
Searching Biography Resource Center:
Once inside Biography Resource Center, there are three methods by which the user can conduct searches: 1) Name Search, 2) Biographical Search, and 3) Advanced Search.
Using the Name Search, the user has the option of searching by either Full Name, or Last Name.
Using the Biographical Search, the user has the option of conducting searches based on one or more of the following criteria; Occupation, Nationality, Ethnicity, Date of Birth/Death, and Gender.
Using the Advanced Search, the user has the option to search by Full-Text, Keyword, Source, and/or Magazine Data.
Why Biography Resource Center is ideal for school libraries:
Biography Resource Center helps students become information literate by providing them with all the resources they need when required to research any prominent figure throughout history- all through an online database that is easy to navigate and provides information that is up-to-date, trustworthy, and accurate. Students will develop a love of learning through their independent use of Biography Resource Center. Watch student's work drastically soar when they have learned to use and exploit search engines properly. Forget about students using unreliable resources like Google to conduct biographical research. After students see how easy to operate Biography Resource Center can be, it will instantly become a favorite resource when conducting research.
Biography Resource Center is also a tool that can be used to cater to all the core subjects, providing biographies for Mathematicians, Scientists, Writers, Artists, Athletes, Politicians, and more.
Lastly, Biography Resource relates directly to the English Language Arts Curriculum Framework. Framework Strand 26 (Analysis of Media): “Students will identify, Analyze, and apply knowledge of the conventions, elements, and techniques of film, radio, video, television, multimedia productions, the Internet, and emerging technologies, and provide evidence from the works to support their understanding” (DOE, 2001). Through learning how to use Biography Resource Center students learn how to become deliberate searchers.
For More Information on Biography Resource Center:
Visit here for more information, brochures, fact sheets, Navigation guides, and more.
Click here for Information on using Biography Resource Center in School Libraries.
