One of the central projects of ZRC SAZU is the Novi Slovenski biografski leksikon (New Slovenian Biographical Lexicon), which continues the work of the Slovenski biografski leksikon (Slovenian Biographical Lexicon), an outstanding lexicographical publication with no less than sixty-five years of publishing activity (1925–1991). The first volume (covering people with family names beginning in A) contains one hundred eighty-nine entries with extensive descriptions of prominent Slovenes and individuals that have been importantly linked to Slovenia throughout the history of the Slovenes. An online version of the NSBL is also planned as part of the Slovenska biografija (Slovenian Biography).
The word lexicon is somewhat misleading, as the major value of the work lies in the exhaustive and relatively comprehensive descriptions of the lives and works of selected individuals. In addition to detailed factual data on birth, education and employments which are typical of lexicons, this publication often presents the cultural-historical background of individuals’ work and engagement. The fact that the contributing authors normally possess authoritative knowledge of the fields in which the presented individuals were or have been engaged makes the biographical entries all the more complete and updated with the latest findings.