The cream (or so they say)

Our brand new way of getting Who’s Who online coincides with the publication of the new edition and the addition of over a thousand more of the great and the… good heavens, is that the time? Must get on!

Cuddly not clunky

Who’s Who has been available, through KnowUK or Credo Reference, for several years. And we know from the stats (Big Brother really is watching you) that Who’s Who is the top-used resource on both databases. So why mess with it?
Well, the Credo version is a bit clunky, and the KnowUK version is even clunkier. Step up to the plate, Oxford University Press. They have just launched a new, cuddly version of Who’s Who 2008, together with Who was Who for the late-greats.

It looks a lot like the online version of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (ODNB) - this is a Good Thing. Just like the ODNB, Who’s Who is searchable in oodles of different ways, and it looks nice when you get to the actual entries.

Different perspectives

In some ways, of course, Who’s Who is not like the ODNB. The entries are written by the subjects, and even when someone dies, and their entry transfers to Who was Who, it remains their own assessment of themselves. So unless you’re a very honest crook, you’re unlikely to list your criminal activities in your Who’s Who spiel. In the ODNB, on the other hand, the biogs are written by people who are often happy to spill the beans.

For a hilarious example, try looking up Robert Maxwell. His Who was Who entry is a model of non-communication. Self-educated captain of industry, benefactor and all-round good egg – it’s all there in Who was Who. The ODNB entry starts with the words "publisher and swindler", and goes on to expose every last bit of his monstrous life.

Bearing its limitations in mind, the new version of Who’s Who is an extra gem glittering in the crown of Westminster Libraries exclusive resources for library members.

(From the Gateway to websites, select "Biography". Who’s Who is a Key Link, as is the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Or go to
www.westminster.gov.uk/libraries/ict/exclusive.cfm for a complete list of all the fantastic resources which come free with a library card.)


Picture credit: about.com