What's the difference between the ANB and the Dictionary of American Biography (DAB)?
The original Dictionary of American Biography (DAB) was published by Charles Scribner's Sons between 1927 and 1936; the last supplement was published in 1985 and includes people who died no later than 1980. While the DAB has been an essential resource, historical scholarship has advanced considerably in the last sixty years. In publishing the ANB, Oxford University Press and the American Council of Learned Societies have produced a totally new work that incorporates the vast amount of new historical research that has emerged since Word War II.

The DAB covers approximately 19,000 subjects; of these 10,000 are in the ANB as completely new biographies with the latest factual information and interpretations; the bibliographies that follow each article are also entirely new. The ANB features 7,000 figures not in any volume of the DAB--most of them people who died after 1980.

What is your policy regarding the duplication of your biographies?
Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of the ANB Biography of the Day and Sample Biographies web pages provided that the copyright statement is preserved on all copies.

American National Biography articles may not be published commercially (in print or electronic form), edited, reproduced or otherwise altered without the written permission of Oxford University Press which acts as an agent in these matters for the copyright holder, the American Council of Learned Societies. Contact: Permissions Department, Oxford University Press, 198 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016 permissions@oup-usa.org

What are the criteria for inclusion in the ANB?
There are several criteria for including someone in the ANB. First, the subject must be dead; a related consideration is that enough time should have elapsed since the death of the subject to provide the biographer with a measure of critical distance: an ANB article is a biographical essay, not an obituary. Second, the subject must have left an imprint on American history, broadly conceived; a university president, however beloved or important locally, who failed to influence higher education more generally would not qualify; this would be true of locally influential mayors, industrialists, or entertainers. But locally-rooted people whose practices, policies, or ideas had broader influence often warrant inclusion. Third, the subject must have lived in what is now the geographical extent of the United States; George III and Adolph Hitler influenced American history but are not eligible for the ANB. Fourth, sufficient materials must exist to serve as the foundation for a solid biographical essay.

Are there any living people profiled in the ANB?
No. In the print edition, all the biographies are of people who died before the end of 1995. In the ANB Online, only deceased figures will be considered for inclusion.

Can I link to your site?
Oxford University Press encourages webmasters to link to our site. We request that all links to the ANB be made directly to the homepage (www.anb.org) rather than to a specific page within the website.

How can I get more information?
Let us know what you need by e-mailing oxfordonline@oup.com. We'll do our best to answer your questions or send you more materials.

Can I print the Biography of the Day?
Absolutely! Use your web browser's print function.

What is the Dartmouth Medal?
Awarded annually since 1976 by the American Library Association's Reference and User Services Association division, the Dartmouth Medal recognizes the current reference work of outstanding quality and significance. In announcing the award, Richard Bleiler, chair of the award committee, praised ANB as "a monumental achievement" and "a reference work for all times."

Visit the American Library Association/RUSA website for details.