Perform a Subject Heading Keyword search in the Franklin Catalog for the figure of interest. Sample search: Virginia Woolf biography.

Additionally, the Biography and Genealogy Master Index is a important source that indexes biographical entries that are found in other biographical reference works. The target works may be in print or online.

For biographies of deceased Britons and Americans, search the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography or the database of American National Biography, respectively.

The World Biographical Information System provides citations to biographical sources around the world, including living subjects.

Finally, just browsing the entries under Biography in the Franklin Catalog can yield some interesting finds.