Biographies

• When cataloging a biography, assign a MeSH descriptor for the appropriate class of persons or specialty, as well as a subject heading for the personal name of the biographee

• If the work is a collective biography, generally do not provide personal name subject access if more than three people are covered

• Also add the publication characteristic Biography (Cf. Module 7—Publication Characteristics)

• Use the publication characteristic Autobiography if the work is an autobiography. Use Personal Narratives for self-described accounts on specific topics and for personal reminiscences on specific topics

Biography examples

• For a book titled: "Bettelheim : Living and Dying" use:
  
  • 600 12 Bettelheim, Bruno
  • 650 12 Psychoanalysis
  • 655 _2 Biography


• For a book titled: "The Great Irish Clinicians of the 19th Century" use:
  
  • 650 12 Physicians
  • 650 22 History, 19th Century
  • 651 _2 Ireland
  • 655 _2 Biography


• For the book: "Jailhouse Journal of an OB/GYN" by Bruce S. Steir use:
  
  • 600 12 Steir, Bruce S.
  • 655 _2 Personal Narratives
  • 650 22 Prisoners
  • 655 _2 Personal Narratives
  • Note: Depending on the scope of the book, it may also be appropriate to add 650 22 Obstetrics
  
  
• For a book titled: " Breaking ground : my life in medicine" by Dr. Louis W. Sullivan use:
  
  • 650 12 Physicians
  • 650 22 African Americans ‡x history
  • 650 22 History, 20th Century
  • 650 22 History, 21st Century
  • 651 _2 United States
  • 655 _2 Autobiography