The following are just a small selection of reference books that provide biographical information about a variety of authors.
The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Asian American Literature by 
The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Multiethnic American Literature by 
Latino and Latina Writers by 
Writing African American Women by Scribner Writers Series definitely include poets, but take a look at the following for up-to-date biographical information (and more).
Contemporary authors often have websites that include biographical information, a list of writings, public appearances, and contact information. The best websites provide links to interviews and, sometimes, videos. These sites are generally not appropriate sources for academic research papers, but might be appropriate for classroom presentations and short assignments. The following are just a selection of websites for contemporary authors.
