Unlike the sciences and social sciences, humanities research explores concepts which are semantically imprecise and, in many instances, infinitely permutable. Vocabulary control through thesauri, such as the Library of Congress Subject Headings, has had varying degrees of success; however, it was not until computerization of subject authority terms, and the ability to link related and narrower terms in one search command, that access to scholarship was significantly enhanced. The MLA International Bibliography, the primary database for literary research, has been a paramount force in effecting these changes. This article examines the history of the database and how its adaptations - both semantic and technological - have transformed information retrieval within the discipline.