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Author: Claire Jones

Head of Brand Marketing Programmes, ���ϳԹ���

You know Springer as a trusted name, trust that is nearly two decades in the making. Springer’s reputation is rooted in a habit of adaptation to an ever-evolving research landscape, to support its research communities to do their best work. When this work is shared and communicated effectively, it inspires change, fosters collaboration, and drives action.

Here’s a glimpse into how Springer’s legacy took shape, and how its adaptive, forward-looking approach reflected in its response to major shifts in scholarly communication, like digitalisation and open access. And most importantly, how this legacy continues to guide our work today.

“Within the ���ϳԹ��� family, each member serves researchers in its distinct way, always underpinned by trusted scholarship. With its long publishing heritage, Springer brings a particularly strong combination of global reach and discoverability, rigorous editorial and integrity standards, and guidance and support throughout the publication journey.”

Nearly two centuries of scholarly communication have passed since Julius Springer founded a small publishing house in Berlin in 1842. Springer has been growing alongside the development of modern research, adapting to its evolution, and responding to the changing needs to its research communities.

Your work is shaped by your research community and field, and by the methods, standards, practices, and tools that you use. As these evolve, so do expectations around how research is produced, validated, and shared. To best support researchers, Springer evolves and adapts as well. Working closely with research communities, it innovates to accommodate the evolving landscape, while always remaining grounded in integrity and rigour.

“Working with Springer has enlarged my own visibility, because Springer is a renowned publisher and has a wide readership in those areas in which I publish, which increases my own visibility.” 

- Dr. Bernice Bovenkerk, author of Beyond Natural, Normal, Necessary, Nice: Introducing ‘Neglectable’ as a Distinct Coping Strategy for the Dairy Paradox (2026)

Springer today: A legacy of trust for your research

To publish your best work and reach a broad audience, you need a publisher you can trust. Springer’s long legacy of excellence is what makes it the trusted publisher you know today.

Springer has a broad disciplinary reach, spanning science, technology, medicine, humanities, and social sciences. You’ll find cutting-edge science as well as foundational work, in formats ranging from journals and books to reference works and more, designed to serve the various needs of the research community. With its portfolio of over 2,700 journals and over 220,000 books, Springer publishes the trusted content that serves as the foundation for research and development. And it empowers authors to share impactful research.

Over time, books and articles can do more than record results. They help define fields, connect within and between communities, and support the development of your work and of research beyond your field. Springer supports this long-term value by adapting alongside authors and editors to the evolving landscape of scholarly publishing. Springer’s adaptive, forward-looking approach is reflected in how it responded to two major shifts in scholarly communication over recent decades: digitalisation and open access.

“A benefit for the authors, in the first place, is the reputation of Springer. It’s attractive to have an article in a Springer journal, because Springer is a good publisher, obviously.”     

- Marc de Vries, author of Storybook driven design for enhancing spatial ability in early childhood: a lesson study approach (2026)

Forward-looking innovation: At the forefront of globalisation and digitalisation

The modest Springer publishing house grew alongside the internationalisation of science. Knowledge advances fast when researchers engage across borders, and Springer was there to support the global circulation of ideas, which required trusted editorial processes in an international scale. Research needed more than just wider distribution, but also meaningful connections.

Digitalisation expanded this process of connecting and delivering research. Springer’s early embrace of digital publishing was a natural extension of its legacy of excellence and rigour, combined with an innovative spirit.

Digital publishing makes it easier for your work to be discovered, accessed, and connected to related research. Springer’s early investment in digital infrastructure made more than a century and a half of scholarly publications available to study and explore. This digitalisation underscored Springer’s commitment to supporting researchers as they navigate an increasingly digital, networked environment.

“At the Springer publication European Journal for Philosophy of Science, we try to give space for non-mainstream voices. We also try to make the refereeing process as fair and transparent as possible, especially to younger researchers who may be less acquainted with what happens behind the scenes.”

- Federica Russo, Co-Editor-in-Chief of the European Journal for Philosophy of Science

Open access: Making research more accessible than ever

Springer has always played a significant role in shaping new publishing models, particularly open access. The same adaptive mindset that has always guided Springer also shaped its proactive and leading response to the advent of .

As expectations around access, funding, and transparency in research began to change, Springer expanded new publishing models that supported wider dissemination while maintaining established editorial standards. The development of open access journals and books reflected an understanding that research communities differ in their needs, and that sustainable routes to openness require flexibility rather than uniform solutions.

Open access is another chapter in Springer’s robust legacy, which continues its longstanding mission to support research communities navigate the publishing and research landscapes, and ensure research can reach the audiences who can make it meaningful by building on it or putting it into practice.

Research now moves faster, crosses disciplines more readily, and is expected to address increasingly complex global challenges. Springer evolves alongside it, always helping experts publish their work and helping others find it. While tools, platforms, and publishing models may change, Springer’s underlying commitment remains the same as it was in 1842: to support research communities in turning knowledge into insight and action.

your next journal article or book with Springer. Get practical tools, expert insights, and tailored resources to help you navigate the process with confidence and clarity.

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