Locating Background Information
POPULAR, BIOGRAPHY & INTERVIEW DATABASES
- MasterFILE Complete (EBSCO) This link opens in a new windowA wide range of topics covered. Find news and articles from popular and trade publications.
- Historical Newspapers: The New York Times (ProQuest) This link opens in a new window
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Subjects covered include history, news, and a wide range of topics. Find primary sources: the full text and full image articles from the New York Times dating back to the 19th century. - American National Biography This link opens in a new window
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Subjects covered include biography and history. Biographies of thousands of men and women whose lives have shaped the U.S.
FILM & DOCUMENTARY DATABASES
- PBS Video CollectionA wide range of subjects covered. Find documentaries, interviews, archival footage, and select feature films.
- LGBT Studies in VideoSubjects covered include lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender studies, gender studies, history, and politics. Find documentaries, interviews, archival footage, and select feature films
- American History in Video (Alexander Street Press)
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Subjects covered include history, biography, politics, world events. Find primary sources, streaming video content, and newsreels.
FINDING FULL LENGTH BIOGRAPHIES
A great way to find background information about your person is to read a biography about them. You don't need to read it in its entirety. Skimming the book or reading a few chapters will usually suffice for your purposes. If you don't know the name of the biography or if there is one- do a web search to find the title and then search for it in Search@UW to access through our libraries.
If you need helping locating, navigate to the research help page to connect with a librarian.
Example
I performed a web search for "st hildegard of bingen biography" and learned of several biographies about her. I was able to find this biography, Hildegard of Bingen: Woman of Her Age through our library resources as a book I can request.
