Houston Public Library Research

* These resources require a Houston Public Library Power Card for access from your home or office.

• African American Biographical Database

  The largest electronic collection of biographical information on African Americans from 1790 to1950.*

• Biography and Genealogy Master Index

  Index to millions of biographical sketches in thousands of reference books.*

• Biography Reference Bank

  Offers full text biographical articles, images, and abstracts.*

• Biography Resource Center

  Search for biographies, full text articles, and images for current and historic people from all eras and fields of endeavor.*

• Dead People Server

  Database of celebrities that includes a grave finder and obituaries.

• Dictionary of Literary Biography Complete Online

  Dictionary of Literary Biography Complete Online features profiles of more than 143,000 past and present authors, historians, journalists, screenwriters, publishers, and playwrights. The biographies discuss the lives and careers of the literary figures profiled, along with the critical response to their works.

• Find a Grave

  Grave finder for famous people around the world.

• Gale Virtual Reference Library

  Full-text reference books on topics including biography, business, the environment, history, law, social sciences, medicine, religion, the sciences, and multicultural studies.*

• Handbook of Texas Online
  Encyclopedia of Texas history, geography, and culture.
• Houston Oral History Project

  The Houston Oral History Project is an effort to record and preserve the dynamic history of Houston through the stories and experiences of its residents. It is a collaboration between the Mayor’s Office, the Houston Public Library and the University of Houston.

• NetLibrary eBooks - (Provided by the Texas State Library's TEXSHARE program.)

  Read and download e-books and audio books on Education, Science, History, Texas State etc.*

• POTUS

  Information on United States Presidents.

• Primary Search (Provided by the Texas State Library's TEXSHARE program.)

  Articles from children's magazines and pamphlets; designed for the elementary school student.*

• ProQuest Obituaries

  Offers more than 10.5 million obituaries and death notices in full-image format from uninterrupted historical archives of top newspapers.*

• Something About the Author Online

  Something About the Author Online brings you thousands of illustrated biographical profiles of children's authors and illustrators totaling more than 12,000 entries and nearly 17,000 images.

• White House

  The official website for the White House.  Includes biographies of the presidents and the first ladies.