Available sources of veterinary biographies useful in compiling contributions for an International Dictionary of...

In the framework of the WAHVM-project to compile an International Dictionary of Veterinary Biography, two modern tools are described that may assist the contributors to this dictionary in finding references concerning the persons of their choice. The first is the World Biographical Index (WBI), an initiative of K. G. Saur Publishing, that can be consulted in print and online as well. The index covers more than 5000 sources of biographical information of all times and regions of the world. Its 7th online-edition (www.biblio.tu-bs/de/wbi) identifies the works where information can be found on the lives of 4551 veterinarians, for the greater part of the past. The editions are regularly expanded. The second tool is a CD-ROM, published by the WAHVM, with 13.000 references to books, periodical articles and dissertations on veterinary history. More than 40% of these references have biographical relevance. The index on personal names contains more than 2700 names. Both tools are complementary because the source materials differ largely.