The Biographical Archive comprises a collection of documents on prominent figures involved in Czech literature, which has been gathered at the Institute since the 1960s, primarily as part of lexicographical work.  It includes extracts, excerpts and biographical material (questionnaires, correspondence and the like). Since 1990 staff have supplemented  it on an ongoing basis with their own excerption, subsequently verifying the information at archives, registry offices and the like. These files go to build up the Biographical Database of Czech Literary Figures, detailing basic biographical data, pseudonyms, initials and areas of activity. In the 2004-2008 period this database started to be digitized under Ministry of Education Grant Project 1N04172 and its supplementation and provision of online access will continue in future years – from 2009 to 2011 with the support of Ministry of Education Grant Project VZ09001.