Boletim do Arquivo da Universidade de Coimbra

Paleography in Paraguay: an essential tool for historical research

This study analyzes the role of paleography in Paraguay as an essential discipline for historical research, emphasizing its technical, cultural, and methodological dimensions. Based on eleven epistolary interviews with specialists, the findings demonstrate that paleography goes beyond the mere transcription of ancient scripts, functioning as a transformative tool that enables access to primary sources, supports cultural identity, and strengthens professional competencies among researchers. The results also highlight its interdisciplinary nature, establishing connections with linguistics, genealogy, diplomatics, and archival science. However, the current academic context reveals limited curricular visibility and insufficient formal training, which restrict the discipline’s professional projection. Furthermore, challenges such as the complexity of ancient scripts, the material deterioration of documents, and the lack of advanced digital tools demand innovative strategies. Digitalization and technological innovation emerge as essential solutions, fostering preservation, accessibility, and academic reuse of documentary heritage. Ultimately, the study concludes that paleography in Paraguay requires a comprehensive approach that integrates cultural preservation, specialized education, and technological adaptation, positioning it as a strategic discipline for historical knowledge and national identity construction.

Evaluating SPARQL-Based Querying for Semantic Metadata in Open Data Ecosystems

BIDHAN DOLAI

Open data environments are increasingly using semantic metadata to facilitate interoperability, discoverability, and effective data integration. SPARQL, the W3C-standard RDF query language, offers an interface for accessing and manipulating such metadata. This research assesses the efficacy of SPARQL-based querying for open data settings through query performance, accuracy, completeness, and endpoint reliability tests on three datasets: DBpedia, LinkedGeoData, and Open Government Data (India). SPARQL queries for resource discovery, property filtering, relationship traversal, and aggregation were carried out and their outcomes methodically evaluated. Results show that SPARQL effectively fetches semantic metadata, with bigger data sets needing optimization techniques to ensure performance. Precision and exhaustiveness tended to be high, with endpoint stability being a key determinant of query execution. The research points out best practices and issues of SPARQL querying and presents actionable findings for enhancing semantic metadata reuse in open data environments.

Os profissionais da informação da Região do Algarve

Carlos Guardado da Silva, Alexandra Centenico

In the context of the Information Society and national and European strategies for digital transition for the decade 2020-2030, information management is of critical importance to organizations, which increasingly depend on qualified information professionals. Five years after the collection of the first solid data on information professionals in the Algarve Region, a new survey is being conducted to identify and characterize them, using a comparative approach between 2020 and 2025, seeking to determine their number, gender, age, training, and professional category.

This is a descriptive and explanatory study, guided by a pragmatic paradigm and based on mixed methods, using documentary research and a questionnaire survey, conducted in May 2025, which seeks to answer the following research question: Who works in information management as their profession in the archives of the Algarve Region between 2020 and 2025? In terms of results, it was possible to identify 162 information professionals, 25,3% of whom have specialized higher education in the field of information science, and the majority of whom are in the professional career of technical assistant. In conclusion, this is a population with a marked feminization and aging.

Contributos para a História da Tipografia em Coimbra: o contrato de impressão de João Álvares com o Mosteiro de Santa Cruz (1566)

Daniela Santos, Pedro Pinto

The present article aims to examine a printing contract dated 1566, signed between João Álvares, the printer of the University of Coimbra, and the Monastery of Santa Cruz. This document, preserved in the Archive of the University of Coimbra, represents a rare exemplar of its kind, with few surviving instances from the 16th-century period in Portugal. Printing contracts contain pivotal information, not only about the production of a book, but also about the role of the agents involves in the creation and trade of printed objects, thus acquiring unique importance for Book History.

The printing contract in question pertains to the production of a new breviary, which was commissioned by the Monastery of Santa Cruz and entrusted to the printer of the University of Coimbra, João Álvares. The present article provides a contextual framework for the contract within the broader career trajectory of João Álvares, followed by a meticulous examination of the document’s terms, which is appended. Furthermore, it presents an approach to the study of another book printed in Coimbra, as mentioned in this contract, with the aim of demonstrating how manuscripts can offer essential insights into the circulation of books that are not captured within their printed content.

Diplomatic Study of the Documentation of D. Leonor of Austria, Queen of Portugal and France

Luis Fernando Fernández Guisasola

This study examines the documentation of Queen Leonor of Austria from a diplomatic perspective, considering her unique position as consort of the kingdoms of Portugal and France, Infanta of Castile and Aragon, and sister of Emperor Charles V. Throughout her life, Queen Leonor adapted her documentary practices to the traditions of each kingdom, while preserving distinctive elements related to her lineage. This was uncommon, although it can be observed in certain Portuguese consorts of the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries.

The analysis is structured around the three documentary elements that allow the identification of the issuer: intitulatio, seal, and signature. Particular attention is given to the latter, due to its high archival value in distinguishing Queen Leonor from other contemporary queens, thus avoiding incorrect or ambiguous attributions in archival holdings. The study also highlights the influence that certain queens exerted on the creation of the documentary image of their successors, especially the influence that Queen Maria of Castile, aunt of Leonor and also wife of King Manuel, had on her.