Over the past year, we have been implementing major enhancements across our bibliographic and full-text databases—improvements designed to make the use of our databases more accessible, intuitive, and efficient. In 2026, you will experience the full impact of these developments: redesigned interfaces and improved data models are now available for all bibliographies and will become available for all full-text databases. The citation plugin will establish itself as an essential benefit for users of our bibliographies, while the number of citations will increase significantly in the course of 2026. These upgrades, combined with further updates planned for selected Latin databases this year, ensure that our platform sets the standard for innovation and user experience.
Stay tuned—this newsletter will provide detailed insights into what’s new and how you can make the most of these enhancements. Download the Newsletter here.
Starting December 2025, Brepolis Bibliographies include citation information through a new citation plugin. This tool is available in the hitlist and on the record page, providing the total number of citations along with the bibliographical details of the citing publications.
Although the number of citations included in this initial release is still limited, this is expected to increase significantly in the coming months. For now, most citations will be drawn from journals and books published between 2020 and 2024. Newly registered citations will be added monthly.
For a short presentation of the plugin:
The citation data are sourced from Perspecti, Brepols’ upcoming database on research in the Humanities. For more information on Perspecti, see Perspecti plugin – Perspecti
Since the launch of the citation plugin in December 2025, the number of citations included in Brepolis bibliographies has increased by 114%.
In his recent article, Charles Guérin, “L’Année philologique, une source pour l’histoire de la philologie ? — L’exemple de Sénèque le Père,” the author demonstrates how a bibliography can be used in innovative and unexpected ways. The article is available here: https://books.openedition.org/irht/1287.
We are pleased to highlight this study, which offers a compelling example of how bibliographic resources can serve not only as discovery tools but also as sources for analytical and historical research. Thanks to the bibliometric features developed by Brepols, L’Année Philologique can be approached in a different light. Rather than simply locating publications on a given topic, the database can be read “in reverse”: mined as a dataset that reveals long-term shifts in classical scholarship and, more broadly, the evolving history of philology.
The bibliometric module is accessible directly from the search interface of the BREPOLiS bibliographies (L’Année Philologique, International Medieval Bibliography, Bibliographie de Civilisation Médiévale, International Bibliography of Humanism and the Renaissance, Bibliography of British and Irish History and Index Religiosus) via the dedicated “Bibliometrics” tab.
view of the interface of L’Année Philologique featuring the Bibliometric Module
You have also access to the Bibliometric information from the record view:
view of a bibliographic record of L’Année Philologique
As BREPOLiS marks its 25th anniversary, we are pleased to announce a range of exciting enhancements to our online databases. From a completely redesigned interface for the Library of Latin Texts to enhanced accessibility and search functionalities in our bibliographic databases, the platform continues to evolve to meet the needs of scholars worldwide.
Highlights include:
A new data model and interface for Latin databases
The launch of the Perspecti Citation Plugin for bibliographies
Accessibility upgrades across all platforms
A special extended trial subscription offer for institutions starting in autumn 2025
By introducing new features and continuously enhancing its functionalities, BREPOLiS remains a trusted gateway to high-quality research tools. Download the Newsletter here (PDF, 4 pages)
Each month, we shine a spotlight on a specific research area, in parallel with our main website, www.brepols.net. This month’s focus is History of Science.
How can BREPOLiS databases support scholars interested in History of Science? Our bibliographies offer a comprehensive overview of literature related to the History of Science. Publications on the History of Science in Classical Antiquity are covered by L’Année Philologique, while the Medieval & Early Modern periods History are respectively covered by the International Medieval Bibliography and the International Bibiliography of Humanism and the Renaissance. The Bibliography of British and Irish History is also an excellent resource for research in this field.
How to count the number of publications related to History of Science in our Bibliographies?
Thanks to their new interface, along with solid indexing and a well-structured data model, it’s easy to isolate publications devoted to the History of Science. Let’s take a look at how it works in the International Bibliography of Humanism and the Renaissance. To find bibliographical records dealing with History of Science, first select ‘Subject Tree’ as search field (1) and click on ‘Scienceand Medicine’(2). The number of records (7,543) will be displayed in the search button (3).
Please note that the subject tree allows you to search for more specific topics like Mathematics and Astronomy:
Another way to search for the publications related to the History of Science in the International Bibliography of Humanism and the Renaissance is by using the ‘Themed Search‘ filter (4). This allows you to combine your search for History of Science (Science + Technology) with a specific geographical area and a century (5).
For instance, you can search for the bibliographical records dealing with Science or Technology in Italy during the 16th and 17th centuries (6).
Please note that BREPOLiS other bibliographies also cover the ‘History of Science’:
Database
Search terms
# bibliographical records
L’Année Philologique
‘Science and Technology’
32,766 (sept 2025)
International Medieval Bibliography
‘Science and Medecine’
9,569 (sept 2025)
Bibliographie de Civilisation médiévales
‘Science and Medecine’
1,275 (sept 2025)
International Bibliography of Humanism and the Renaissance
To mark the 25th anniversary of the launch of our first online database, we are pleased to announce an extended one-year trial subscription at half price, available from September 2025 through the end 2026. Start your subscription in September, pay for just 6 months, and enjoy 16 months of full access !
This offer is limited to new subscriptions and does not apply to renewals of current subscriptions.
We are excited to announce that the new and improved interface is now available as default setting in the cluster Brepols Medieval and Early Modern Bibliographies (including the International Medieval Bibliography, the Bibliographie de civilisation médiévale, and the International Bibliography of Humanism and the Renaissance). This update is designed to enhance user experience, and to provide more intuitive access to our extensive bibliographic databases.
User-Friendly Design: The new interface boasts a modern, clean design that simplifies navigation and improves accessibility.
Enhanced Search Capabilities: Advanced search functions allow for more precise and efficient retrieval of bibliographic records.
Fig. 1: Search Page
We believe these enhancements will significantly benefit our users by making it easier to access and utilize our bibliographic resources. We invite you to explore the new interface and experience the improvements firsthand.
Main Enhancements
Interface that ensures a seamless experience for both desktop and mobile users. An accessibility review of the interface is ongoing; the target is to align with WCAG 2.1 AA.
Dynamic search screen that allows users to add or remove search fields
The ‘All fields’ dropdownmenu consolidates the wealth of the Brepols’ bibliographies into a single, comprehensive field and brings-up the controlled vocabularies with just a few keystrokes. This new dropdown menu:
Features filters and employs a relevance-based sorting mechanism (see below image)
Allows the sequential selection of items from the controlled vocabularies
Supports traditional free-text entry with Boolean and wildcard searching
Fig. 2: Auto-complete List
Thematic search with listed click-and-pick categories facilitating combined searches across disciplines, areas and centuries (see below image)
Fig. 3: Thematic Search
The hitlist offers comprehensive filter options, empowering users to fine tune and narrow down their search results.
Fig. 4: Result Page
The new interface will also become available by default for the other bibliographies. The switch will happen at the following times:
L’Année Philologique: 13 November
Bibliography of British and Irish History: 18 November
Since February 2024, the beta version of the new interface is also available. In order to use the new version of the interface of BREPOLiS bibliographies, use the link available on the homepage of your favourite bibliography.
Furthermore, if you want to know more about the enhancements brought to our bibliographies, you can have look at our short intro.
The International Bibliography of Humanism and the Renaissance, The International Medieval Bibliography and the Bibliographie de civilisation médiévale -> Intro PDF.
