Sources for Courses: new additions for modern Wales at the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography

Visit the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (ODNB) or visit via Databases A-Z in Primo http://primo.aber.ac.uk/.

In their “focus on Modern Wales” in May, the ODNB added 45 biographies of men and women who, “shaped the history of Welsh culture, politics, industry and sport”.



Look out for the bilingual posters in the Hugh Owen Library this week.
The new biographies include

• Lewis Valentine, first president of the Welsh National Party
• the singer Edith Wynne known as “Eos Cymru” (the Welsh nightingale)
• actor and comedian Ryan Davies of “Ryan a Ronnie”

Aberystwyth University enjoys full access to the ODNB by subscription.
Features include

• 57,800 biographies cross-linked with families, friends and contemporaries
• Images, bibliographies and archive lists
• Full text searching
• Themed lists, groups and essays
• A twice-monthly podcast

Here’s some searches to try, with examples of results

Augustus John

Full text search: BBC Wales

Hints and tips

• use the buttons in References provided for each biography to check if books listed are available in Aberystwyth University libraries
• scroll to the end of each biography page and see if there is a DNB Archive link on the left; if so you will find an earlier biography
• try the Themes tab e.g. The Rising of Owain Glyndŵr

If you are working off campus (campus includes halls) remember to sign into Primo http://primo.aber.ac.uk/ and use the Login via your home institution link on the ODNB site to ensure you are authenticated.
Find biographies of current figures through the Aberystwyth University subscription to Who’s Who which is also available via Databases A-Z in Primo http://primo.aber.ac.uk/.

If you have any questions or comments, or would like to arrange training or a refresher for online resources at Aberystwyth University, please contact:

Academic Services
acastaff@aber.ac.uk
01970621896