Qüern is a bibliographical bulletin on historical Catalan literature and language from the 12th to 18th centuries (up until the mid-19th century, in fact).
Since 1993 it has listed all bibliographical references for books (studies and texts) and articles published around the world, in all types of publications, preferably scientific, but also informative, on the history of Catalan literature and language up until the first half of the 19th century, not including Romanticism, and not forgetting the humanist literature of the Catalan-Aragonese Crown.
In addition to these strictly-defined subject areas Qüern also lists references for studies on cultural context, which are essential in understanding the literary output and linguistic history of our past, such as the history of books, from printing to reading, the history of teaching (of arts and sciences), and so on.
It is also worth mentioning the following specific subject areas for which information is listed: historical toponymy and anthropony, oral literature, codicology, textual criticism, autobiographical texts (diaries, memoirs, autobiographies, travel books...), epistles, contemporary literary and linguistic historiography, lexicography, the historical press, etc.
Qüern is the only existing publication of its kind in the world (present or past), that is, a joint up-to-date bibliography of historical Catalan literature and language.
Prior to the present on-line format this index was sent free of charge in book format to 300 scholars and scientific and university institutions around the world, from the United States to Australia, including Italy, France, Germany, Canada and the United Kingdom.