Q141.N2 Oxford dictionary of scientists . Oxford University Press, 1999. Updates the Encyclopedia of Scientists published by the Institute of Physics published in 1993. Has basic biographical data. Includes a list of Nobel prize winners from 1901-1998.
Coverage appears to be primarily American, Canadian and European scientists.
Also available online from netLibrary . An Index to Collective Biographies . This resource gives information on about 29,000 scientists, engineers, and mathematicians from the mid-1800s to the late 1900s. It helps identify many papers not indexed elsewhere. It includes brief biographies, major works, and some secondary sources.